Dwarf mongoose

Scientific name: Helogale parvula

Country: Ethiopia, Somalia, Angola, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Continent: Africa

Diet: Insects - insectivore, rodents, lizards, snakes, birds

Food & feeding: Carnivore

Habitats: Tropical grassland

Conservation status: Not threatened

Relatives: Meerkat, banded mongoose

Description: The smallest carnivore in Africa - only about 23 cm long with a tail of 16 cm and a weight of about 300g. Smooth fine fur, variable in colour from tan to dark brown/black. Their teeth are small and sharp - ideal for a predator that has to nip at dangerous prey such as scorpions. They move quickly in a bounding gallop when looking for food. At night they return to a den in a termite mound where the pack sleeps together.

Lifestyle: They hunt in packs for their food in open grassy areas, fanning out across the savanna, running down and pouncing on their prey. But being so small, dwarf mongooses would in turn make tasty snacks for many larger predators. When out and about they must make sure that they are always watchful of predators. When in danger they run to hide in their favourite shelters: holes in termite mounds.

Family & friends: Packs number around eight animals, of which only two are the breeders. All the other pack members are helpers, the males in particular spending time on the look-out for predators, from sentry posts such as termite mounds. Other pack members help to bring food back to feed the young. There is a strict pecking order within the pack - the young rank more highly than most of the adults.

Keeping in touch: While on the move looking for food, the pack continually "chirrup" to each other, keeping in contact in long grass. When a predator is spotted by a sentry, a range of calls are used - a scream means danger is close by, while a churring sound means the threat is further away. A food discovery is greeted by a shrill twittering which alerts other to share in the meal.

Growing up: The dominant female in the pack produces all the young - in litters of up to six young, three times a year. The young eventually leave their den in the termite mound for the first time after about a month. The adults are extra-watchful at this time. When the next litter of young are born the previous litter take up the adult jobs of looking out for predators and finding food for the pack.

Dwarf mongooses and birds called ground hornbills often feed together and both benefit from the arrangement: the mongooses disturb insects that the hornbills pounce on, and the hornbills alert the mongooses of danger from approaching predators by calling loudly.

Conservation news: Dwarf mongooses are versatile, adaptable little predators that occur across much of Southern Africa. Their population is currently not threatened.