I was privileged to be introduced to Lynda’s study groups of mongoose. Please click
here to go to her blog and find out not only about these wonderful animals but also her encounters with other wildlife in the area.
As the name implies, Dwarf Mongoose are the smallest of the species we have here. I estimate them to be a total of about 8 inches in body length including the tail and they are just the cutest little things.
Because of the drought, they have no water and very little food as there are no insects about so she goes every morning to feed them. Not enough so they become dependent on it but enough to keep them alive until the rainy season. They sit and wait in anticipation for the crushed hard-boiled eggs she brings.
As she scatters it on the rock, there is a mad scramble to get at the food. In a way it is sad to think that besides her study groups, how many there are out there starving right now?
Water is probably the most appreciated and they slurp it up gratefully.
This one has a wonderful adaptation to drinking, he sticks his paw and it then licks it off from there. Lynda says it is because the water is sometimes found in crevasse and this is how they would get it out as their heads are too big to fit in the crevasse.
I loved the way this one was stretched out against the sand. He looked like he was soaking up the suns rays. :)
A lot of time is spend grooming themselves and each other. I guess it is hard to lick behind your own ears. LOL!!
These are wonderful little creatures to sit and watch as they play, fight and groom themselves. Then off they go and start digging under leaves and in the sand to find what else they can find to eat.
As the name implies, Dwarf Mongoose are the smallest of the species we have here. I estimate them to be a total of about 8 inches in body length including the tail and they are just the cutest little things.
Because of the drought, they have no water and very little food as there are no insects about so she goes every morning to feed them. Not enough so they become dependent on it but enough to keep them alive until the rainy season. They sit and wait in anticipation for the crushed hard-boiled eggs she brings.
As she scatters it on the rock, there is a mad scramble to get at the food. In a way it is sad to think that besides her study groups, how many there are out there starving right now?
Water is probably the most appreciated and they slurp it up gratefully.
This one has a wonderful adaptation to drinking, he sticks his paw and it then licks it off from there. Lynda says it is because the water is sometimes found in crevasse and this is how they would get it out as their heads are too big to fit in the crevasse.
I loved the way this one was stretched out against the sand. He looked like he was soaking up the suns rays. :)
These are wonderful little creatures to sit and watch as they play, fight and groom themselves. Then off they go and start digging under leaves and in the sand to find what else they can find to eat. 