Mammals
Selous's Mongoose
Paracynictis selousi · also called Selous mongoose
Digging its own burrow system rather than borrowing one from another animal, Selous’s mongoose forages across southern African savanna in small family groups, its name a quiet tribute to a nineteenth-century naturalist who once documented the region’s wildlife.
Overview
Selous’s mongoose, Paracynictis selousi, is a moderately social carnivore native to savanna and grassland habitat across southern Africa. Its self-sufficient burrowing habits, small-family-group social structure, and historical namesake make it one of the more independently minded mongoose species found across the region.
A mongoose that builds its own home
Unlike species that rely heavily on burrows dug by other animals, Selous’s mongoose takes on the work itself, digging extensive burrow systems that reflect a broader pattern of self-reliance across its nighttime foraging life.
Status
Least Concern, remaining present across suitable savanna and grassland habitat throughout southern Africa.
Selous's Mongoose: common questions
Who was Selous's mongoose named after?
This species is named after Frederick Selous, a nineteenth-century hunter and naturalist whose expeditions across southern Africa contributed to early scientific documentation of the region's wildlife.
Does Selous's mongoose dig its own burrows?
Yes, this species digs its own extensive burrow systems rather than relying primarily on burrows abandoned by other animals, an unusual level of self-sufficiency compared to some other mongoose species.
Is Selous's mongoose social like a meerkat?
Not to the same extent, this species shows a moderate level of sociability, often found in small family groups rather than either strict solitude or the large cooperative mobs formed by meerkats.
How can you identify Selous's mongoose?
This species has a grey-brown coat and a notably bushy tail with a dark tip, a combination that helps distinguish it from similar southern African mongoose species.