South Africa/NC: Khalagadi NP – Yellow Mongoose

Yellow mongoose – a small furry carnivore with yellow-golden fur, bushy tail, and rapid movements. They live in burrows and come out mostly to hunt. They are extremely quick and agile, using their speed to escape predators like jackals and birds of prey. They stand on their hind legs to scan for danger, much like meerkats do. Their bushy tail acts as a warning flag—they lift it high when alarmed to signal danger to others. Though they primarily eat insects, small rodents, and birds, they are actually immune to snake venom and occasionally with attack and kill snakes. They use rapid side-to-side movements to confuse and tire the snake and provoking the snake into striking multiple times but remain just out of reach. This tactic wears the snake out, and once it’s exhausted, the mongoose lunges at high speed and delivers a powerful bite to the snake’s head or neck, crushing its skull or spinal cord. Job is done!