Stripe-necked mongoose (Herpestes vitticollis)
Great place to see Stripe-necked mongoose: Kabini, India:
Try not to turn green with envy when you see this mammal maintaining its rusty-brown furry exterior like it’s always fresh out of a salon, groomed neatly. Even if you do, we’re sure you will find yourself charmed and pleased with it when it stands on its hind legs, probably staring right at your camera when you are in the forests of Kabini.
We are talking about the largest of the Asiatic mongooses – the stripe-necked mongoose. This stout-bodied, short-legged mongoose is easily identifiable by the black stripe that runs on both sides of its neck laterally. Its short tail is grey at the base and is mostly black. Although it chiefly prefer forested regions with fresh water bodies, it is also often found in rice fields and swamps. It feeds mainly rodents, frogs, fowl, reptiles, crabs and mouse deer. A subspecies of stripe-necked mongoose has red tint to its fur and looks charming against warm morning and evening light, giving an opportunity for you to make some striking images of it.
Stripe-necked mongoose is found only in southern India and Sri Lanka, which makes it a delightful species to look forward to while on a wildlife safari in the southern Indian forests, and is hence our Animal of the Week!
See this amazing Stripe-necked mongoose on our Kabini photography expedition