Crab-eating Mongoose

About this species

Size

Head and body 47.7–55.8cm; tail 28–34cm

Weight

1.1–2.5kg

Diet

Crabs, fish, snails, frogs, rodents, birds, reptiles and insects

Habitat

Stream banks and water edges; recorded from sea level to 1,800m

Range

North-eastern Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia to southern China and Taiwan

The crab-eating mongoose is grey on the sides and dusky brown on the neck, chest, belly and limbs. A broad white stripe runs along each side of the neck from the cheeks to the shoulder, the top of the head has white specks, the chin is white and the throat grey. The ears are short and rounded. Head and body length is 47.7–55.8 cm with a bushy 28–34 cm tail, and weight is 1.1–2.5 kg (Wikipedia, general species account).

In India it has been recorded in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and its range extends through north-east India to Southeast Asia, at altitudes from sea level to 1,800 m. It is usually active in the mornings and evenings and has been seen in groups of up to four. It is thought to swim well and hunts along stream banks and near water. Despite the name it eats far more than crabs, taking fish, snails, frogs, rodents, birds, reptiles and insects (Wikipedia, general species account).

Description: Wildlife of India guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)