Did you know that the largest mongoose is about two feet in length, and the shortest is about seven inches? Isn't that crazy?! From the family of herpestidae, the bushy-tailed mongoose is truly a sight to behold. If you ever get close enough to a mongoose in the wild, know that this majestic creature is unique and original. Their behavior, diet, and habitats are all different from what a person would suspect from this crazy critter.

Although many people think of the mongoose as an irrational snake killing monster, their behavior within the colony is actually much different. Sure, while hunting they may be vicious, but as a pack and in colonies, mongooses (which are also called mongeese) are known to be active during the day ad even communicate through clicks, vowel sounds, and the occasional gesture! When hunting, the mongoose is agile and light-on-their feet, which comes in handy when they are attempting to bring down a massive snake. After the mongoose wins, he usually eats the whole snake. And yes, including the venom sacs. When a predator of the mongoose comes too close to the colony for comfort, the sentinel of the pack will stand on its front paws and give out a warning call to members, who then will scurry into hiding.

From snakes to insects, mongeese can digest just about anything. The ferret-like creature is an omnivore, meaning it can eat both plants and animals. Some of the animals that it eats are: fish, crabs, frogs, rodents, insects, worms, eggs, and yes, snakes. It also gets the nutrients it needs by consuming nuts, fruit, roots, and berries, according to Live Science. In a pack of about fifty to sixty mongooses, some act as baby-sitters, and watch over the pups, and the hunter mongoose goes out and slays the future feast for the pack. When the hunter returns, he shares the meat or plant with everyone. When attacking a snake, the mongoose will bounce around and stay light on their toes. Doing that, he can easily dodge the strikes of a king cobra. If he ever gets caught standing still, he has his thick fur and his partial immunity to snake venom.

Mongeese can live all around the world, including places such as Africa and Hawaii. Many different species live in many different places. For example, the bushy-tailed mongoose prefers to live around live around lakes and rivers, and were found constantly in Tanzania, according to Wikipedia. The white-tailed mongoose lives in southern Africa and Arabia. Smaller mongooses, called dwarf mongooses live in Ethiopia and the surrounding areas. As you can see, many abide in Africa. So do any other places around the globe house mongeese? According to the website Instant Hawaii, a small mammal by the name of ‘lole manakuke’ or “rat mongoose” was introduced to the islands in 1872. The people who live there do not like them, and will even reward you to run over one with your car!

By using clicks, vowel sounds, and gestures, this snake-killing species can communicate. Cool, isn't it? Also, along with snakes, mongeese can digest many other small mammals and reptiles. From Hawaii to Africa, this amazing animal can live all around the world. As you now realize, the mongoose is truly a unique character.