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Stripe-necked mongoose

Species of mongoose from South Asia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stripe-necked mongoose
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The stripe-necked mongoose (Urva vitticolla) is a mongoose species native to forests and shrublands from southern India to Sri Lanka.[1]

Quick Facts Conservation status, Scientific classification ...
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Taxonomy

English zoologist Edward Turner Bennett described this species in 1835. There are two subspecies. U. vitticolla vitticolla is from the provinces of Western Ghats, Coorg and Kerala, and has more of a reddish tint to its fur. The other, U. vitticolla inornata, is found in the Kanara province, and lacks a reddish tint to its fur.[2]

Description

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A pair of stripe-necked mongooses in Anamalai Hills

It is rusty brown to grizzled grey, has a stout body and short legs, a black stripe that runs laterally on both sides of its neck. Its short tail is mostly black, but grey at the base. Head to body length is 46–50 cm (18–20 in) with tail length of 32 cm (13 in). Males are larger and heavier than females with the weight of 3.1 kg (6.8 lb). Females weigh about 1.7 kg (3.7 lb).[3]

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Distribution and habitat

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Stripe-necked mongoose in Nagarhole National Park

The stripe-necked mongoose is distributed in the Western Ghats and in Sri Lanka.[1] In 1911, one individual was observed in southern Andhra Pradesh.[4]

Behaviour and ecology

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Stripe-necked mongoose seen in Bandipur National Park

It is diurnal and feeds on frogs, crabs, mouse deer, black naped hares, rodents, fowl, and reptiles. It generally avoids human habitation. They usually inhabit in riparian habitats or near abandoned tanks. In Sri Lanka, they are sparsely found within protected ranges such as national parks and sanctuaries. However, populations are commonly found over 2,000 m (6,600 ft) altitude. Even though reproduction habits are unclear, pups have been noticed in mid-May.[3]

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References

Further reading

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