Dwarf Mongoose

This is the smallest of the mongoose family, being only 25 centimetres long and weighing only 200 to 300 grams. It has even bagged the title of smallest carnivore of Africa, the only continent where it is found.

Living in groups that can be thirty or so strong, theirs is a hierarchical company where only the dominant female, the matriarch, is impregnated by the alpha male, giving birth to a litter of 4 to 6 offspring.

Sheltering in burrows, often former termite mounds, the Dwarf Mongooses seek their food by day, constantly letting out little sounds, both whistles and chirps.

While the dominant male keeps watch, raising the alarm when a raptor, a hyena or some other predator unexpectedly appears.