A Troop of Dwarf Mongoose. A flurry of activity on the top of a termite mound caught our attention. One of Africa’s smallest carnivores were surveying their territory in Kenya’s Maasai Mara. The Dwarf Mongoose is a fascinating animal. They live in troops of normally around ten individuals but troop size can reach up to forty. Their social structure is very interesting. Each troop has a dominant male and female. Females always dominate over males and younger animals rank higher than older ones. Quite an unusual situation for a mammal. Normally only the dominant female breeds but the entire troop will care for the young. It was such fun to watch the antics of a troop of Dwarf Mongoose!
These delightful creatures are just 7-9cm high at the shoulder and weigh only 220-350g and have a tail that is up to 20cm long. They have a varied diet: insects, retiles, eggs as well as berries and fruit.