Zebra mongoose
| Zebra mongoose | ||||||||||||
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Zebra mongoose ( Mungos mungo ) |
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| Mongoose mongoose | ||||||||||||
| ( Gmelin , 1788) |
The zebra mongoose ( Mungos mungo ) is a species of predator from the mongoose family (Herpestidae). It is widespread in large parts of Africa south of the Sahara and is characterized by its back stripes. It lives in groups of mostly 10 to 20 animals and has distinctive social behavior. Their food is mainly insects and other small animals.
features
Zebra mongooses reach a body length of 30 to 40 cm and have a tail 18 to 31 cm long. The weight varies between 0.9 and 1.9 kg. There is no external gender difference , males and females are the same size. Their fur is rough and its color varies from white-gray to dark brown, depending on the area of distribution. The name-giving feature are the 10 to 15 darker horizontal stripes that extend from the middle of the back to the base of the tail. The feet are dark in color, the front and rear paws each end in five toes, the first of which is reduced in size. The toes have long, curved claws. The claws of the front paws are up to 20 mm long and curved, those of the rear paws are smaller and straighter. The tip of the tail is dark, the tail pointed, but not bushy.
These mongooses have an elongated head with a pointed snout, the ears are small and rounded. The tooth formula is I 3/3 - C 1/1 - P 3/3 - M 2/2, so a total of 36 teeth. The teeth are all sharp and strong, especially the canines. The outer incisors are larger than the inner ones, the upper canines are slightly curved and the lower ones more clearly curved. The molars have low, rounded cusps and the fangs are more suited to a grinding rather than a cutting activity.
distribution and habitat
The distribution area of the zebra mongoose stretches from Senegal and Gambia or Ethiopia and Eritrea south to South Africa . They inhabit a number of habitats, but are preferred in savannahs and forests. They avoid areas that are too dry, such as deserts and semi-deserts, but also mountain regions. Sometimes they can also be found near people in cities and villages.
Way of life
Zebra mongooses are social animals. The groups usually consist of 10 to 20, but in some cases up to 40 members and consist of several adult males and females as well as the young animals. The group size varies depending on the habitat and the season. A group owns up to 40 burrows in their area where they spend the night together. In the morning they leave their sleeping place and return there before sunset, they are diurnal. In the midday heat they usually rest in a shady place. Burrows can be made in termite mounds , but also in pits, hollow tree trunks or abandoned aardvark burrows . Buildings consist of a 1 to 2 m³ bedroom, possible side chambers and have up to nine entrances. They usually change burrows every few days, except when raising young.
The area size is variable and can be 40 to over 400 hectares, the area borders are defended against other groups. If two groups meet, it can lead to violent fighting in which animals also die. Only when a group is significantly smaller does it withdraw without a fight. The hierarchies of the groups are little explored, observations of captured animals allow the conclusion that they can be organized matriarchally , that is, the females are dominant. Outside of the mating season, however, a ranking is hardly noticeable.
The group behavior is clearly pronounced, the cohesion is strengthened by the mutual grooming and the mutual marking with the secretion of their anal glands . This mutual marking is often carried out by all group members at the same time. The group members cooperate in raising the young, they keep watch and warn other animals about predators or even attack them. Animals on watch often stand up on their hind legs. There is a report that the animals also took care of a sick group member. Zebra mongooses communicate with one another using several sounds. Often a contact call is made when looking for food, other sounds are intended to lure the group members in a certain direction or serve as a warning signal. Shrill screams accompany the arguments with other groups.
food
A group covers around 2 to 3 kilometers a day, the animals moving in a zigzag course. Usually each member of the group looks for food individually, only with larger prey they sometimes hunt in packs. Small animals, mainly beetles and millipedes and their larvae form the focus of their food. They also eat mice , frogs , lizards , snakes and eggs. Large mammals, such as elephants, like to rummage through piles of poop for food. Hard-shell food such as some beetles and eggs are broken up by the animals balancing on their hind legs, grabbing the prey with their front paws and hurling them against a rock through their hind legs. Hairy or slimy prey are rolled on the ground before being eaten.
Reproduction
In areas with a seasonal climate, births occur in the wetter months. In dry regions the females have one or two litters per year, in wet regions it can be up to five. In the mating season, the hierarchy among the males becomes more pronounced, dominant males try to guard their females and drive away all others who also want to reproduce with them. However, the females often manage to escape this guard and reproduce with other males both inside and outside the group. Ultimately, the mating behavior is promiscuous , both males and females have multiple mating partners.
After a gestation period of around 60 days, the female gives birth to one to six, on average 3.2 young animals. The births within a group are synchronized, which means that all females give birth to their young almost simultaneously. This behavior presumably minimizes the risk of infanticide , but it can also be a strategy for better community care for the young. Newborns weigh around 20 to 50 grams, they are covered with short fur and their eyes are closed. At around ten days, their eyes open. The young are raised together, females not only nurse their newborns, but also the others. When the group goes looking for food, an adult animal remains behind as a "babysitter", this service changes every day. At around one month old, the young animals leave the den and accompany the adults on their forays. They often have a “protector” who provides them with food and under whom they hide in the event of a threat. This protector is not a parent in most cases. Males generally take on the role of babysitter or protector than females. Depending on the habitat, sexual maturity occurs at one to two years.
Mortality is relatively high because of its small size, open habitats and diurnal lifestyle. Less than 50% of the young survive to three months of age. Natural enemies of the young animals include marabous and Nile monitors , the predators of the adult animals include giant snakes such as the northern rock python , big cats such as the leopard and birds of prey such as the martial eagle .
Danger
Zebra mongoose are not endangered species. They are widespread and flexible in terms of their habitat, and can also live close to humans. The stocks are stable according to the Red List of Endangered Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN, which is why the species is listed as Least Concern .
literature
- JS Gilchrist, AP Jennings, G. Veron and P. Cavallini: Family Herpestidae (Mongooses). In: Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier (eds.): Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Volume 1: Carnivores. Lynx Edicions, 2009, ISBN 978-84-96553-49-1 , pp. 262-329.
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World . Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999 ISBN 0-8018-5789-9
Web links
- Information at Animal Diversity Web
- Mongoose mongoose in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2009. Posted by: Hoffmann, M., 2008. Accessed January 26 of 2010.
- How does the mongoose get the egg? Small mammals also pass on traditions - a report by Deutschlandfunk on zebra mongoose from June 7, 2010