Indian Grey Mongoose (Urva edwardsii) lives in dry grasslands across South Asia. It feeds on small mammals rodents. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Indian Grey Mongoose
- A body the length of a school ruler and a tail that matches it make the Indian grey mongoose look like a living ruler-snake hybrid. Its body measures 36-45 cm (14-18 in) while the tail stretches another 45 cm (18 in), and it weighs just 0.9-1.7 kg (2-4 lb). Its coat is a grizzled iron-grey, tougher and coarser than that of other mongooses. Remarkably, it can tell apart four colours, a skill most mammals lack.
- It has been generally accepted that the Indian grey mongoose occurs in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, as represented by the distribution map. A 2007 study found specimens also in Turkey, and United Arab Emirates, thus extending the known range. Such a broad footprint shows the species' ability to thrive in many climates, from semi-desert to cultivated fields.
- The Indian grey mongoose lives on a menu of live prey, snapping up mice, rats, lizards, snakes and beetles as the bulk of its meals. The Indian grey mongoose is omnivorous, though most of its diet is made up from live prey it catches from being an opportunistic hunter, with mice, rats, lizards, snakes, and beetles making up the bulk. When a snake strikes, the mongoose dodges repeatedly, tiring the reptile out. This species is known for its ability to combat snakes. It primarily achieves this through tiring the snake out, by enticing it to make multiple strikes which it acrobatically avoids. Secondary protection includes stiff hair, loose skin and specialised acetylcholine receptors that make its blood resistant to venom. These layered defenses let it hunt dangerous snakes.
- Mating season runs from March to October, and a pair may breed two to three times a year. The Indian grey mongoose mates two to three times each year, between March and October. After a gestation of just 60 to 65 days, the female gives birth to a litter of two to four kits. The gestation period lasts for 60 to 65 days; the female gives birth to two to four offspring. In the wild they live about seven years, but in captivity they can reach 12 years.
- People have long kept the mongoose as a living pest-control unit, letting it guard homes from rats. The Indian grey mongoose is often kept as a pet to keep dwellings free from rats and other pests. Its cultural status is high enough that it was named the state animal of Chandigarh. The Indian grey mongoose is the state animal of Chandigarh. Yet the same animal faces a grim trade: in 2018 authorities seized 155 kg (342 lb) of raw mongoose hair, a haul that represented the killing of about 3,000 individuals. In 2018 the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) seized 155 kg (342 lb) of raw mongoose hair, for which about 3000 mongoose had been killed. This contrast shows how human appreciation can turn into exploitation, underscoring the need for stronger protection.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeSouth Asia
HabitatDry grasslands
DietSmall mammals rodents
About the Indian Grey Mongoose
In the scorching grasslands of the Indian subcontinent, the Indian Grey Mongoose darts with stealthy precision, its slender body weaving through the underbrush with an air of quiet confidence. With eyes that gleam like polished onyx, this agile predator navigates its domain with a fluidity that belies its fearless nature, striking with lightning speed to snare unsuspecting prey. As it moves, the mongoose's grey coat seems to blend seamlessly with the dusty landscape, rendering it all but invisible, a testament to its remarkable adaptability in this unforgiving yet beautiful world.
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