Stats

Lifespan

6-10 yrs

Size

Small

Diet

Insectivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Mob

Biome

Desert

Range

Southern Africa

Movement

Burrowing

Breeding

Live Birth

Defense

Burrowing

Status

Uncommon

About

A small social mongoose of southern African deserts, famous for the upright sentry pose it strikes to scan for predators while its colony forages. Their dark eye patches act as natural sun-glare reducers, letting them stare directly at the sky.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   newborn

   A live-born newborn nurses on its mother's milk and depends on her for warmth and protection.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   A weaned juvenile begins eating solid food and learning from its parents or group.
3. 3.
   adult

   Fully grown at adult size.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →
• Watch on YouTube →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Carnivora

Family

Herpestidae

Genus

Suricata

Species

Suricata suricatta