Indian brown mongoose: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Species of mongoose from South Asia}}

| image = Indian Brown Mongoose.jpg

| image_caption = [[Western Ghats]], [[India]]

| genus = Urva

| species = fusca

The '''Indian brown mongoose''' ('''''Urva fusca''''') is a [[mongoose]] [[species]] native to the [[Western Ghats]] in India and the western coast in [[Sri Lanka]] and introduced to [[Fiji]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Veron |first=Geraldine |last2=Patou |first2=Marie-Lilith |last3=Simberloff |first3=Daniel |last4=McLenachan |first4=Patricia A. |last5=Morley |first5=Craig G. |date=2010-07-01 |title=The Indian brown mongoose, yet another invader in Fiji |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-009-9616-z |journal=Biological Invasions |language=en |volume=12 |issue=7 |pages=1947–1951 |doi=10.1007/s10530-009-9616-z |issn=1573-1464}}</ref> It is listed as [[least concern]] on the [[IUCN Red List]].<ref name=iucn/>

The Indian brown mongoose appears large compared to the other mongoose species in southern [[Western Ghats]]. This species has a dark brown body and its legs are noticeably in black colour. Head to body length is 33–48&nbsp;cm. Tail is about 20–34&nbsp;cm which is two-thirds of its body length and more furry than that of the [[small Asian mongoose|small Indian mongoose]]. A pointed tail and fur beneath the hindleg help to distinguish this species from others.<ref>{{cite book |author=Menon, V. |title=Indian Mammals: A Field Guide |publisher=Hachette |location=UK |year=2014 |isbn=9789350097618}}</ref> Males are larger and heavier than females with a weight of 2.7&nbsp;kg. Young are much darker in color with yellowish eyes.<ref name=MSL>{{cite book|author=Yapa, A.|author2=Ratnavira, G.|year=2013|title= Mammals of Sri Lanka |publisher=Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka |location= Colombo |pages= 1012|isbn= 978-955-8576-32-8}}</ref>

In South India, the Indian brown mongoose lives at an elevation range of {{convert|700-1300|m|abbr=on}} from Virajpet in south Coorg and Ooty in the [[Nilgiri Hills]], Tiger Shola in the [[Palni Hills]], [[High Wavy Mountains]] in Madurai, Kalakad-Mundanthurai in [[Agasthyamalai Hills]], Valparai plateau in the [[Anamalai Hills]], and Peeramedu in Kerala.<ref name=iucn /> In Sri Lanka, the species is confined to west coast, central hills and western urban centers.<ref name=MSL />

In the 1970s, it has been introduced to [[Fiji]], where it lives in [[sympatry]] with the [[Javan mongoose]].<ref name=Veron_al2010>{{cite journal |author1=Veron, G. |name-list-style=amp |author2=Patou, M.L. |author3=Simberloff, D. |author4=McLenachan, P.A. |author5=Morley, C.G. |title=The Indian brown mongoose, yet another invader in Fiji |journal=Biological Invasions |volume=12 |pages=1947–1951 |year=2010 |issue=7 |doi=10.1007/s10530-009-9616-z|s2cid=41627327 }}</ref>

The Indian brown mongoose is nocturnal in nature, prefers to live in isolation, and maintains its habitats in dense forests. In Sri Lanka, it prefers jungle patches covered with ferns and brush to tea estates. Generally a shy animal that avoid human habitation, but sometimes enter suburban gardens to feed on snakes and mice. When threaten, it will flee to a hole or termitaria but make ferocious fight when cornered.<ref name=MSL />

 

When ready to breed, Indian brown mongooses burrow in densely-packed rocks and give birth to two to three young. The brown mongoose is opportunistic carnivore, feeding primarily on small rodents, snakes, lizards, spiders, grubs, birds, eggs, frogs and at times also on berries and flowers.<ref name=Veron_al2010/> During hunting, it stops motionless to detect sound emitted by the prey and quickly pounce on the prey with a bite to head.<ref name=MSL />

 

Parturition is usually in a burrowing dug well concealed embankment or underneath a rock or an anthill. Female gives birth to three to four pups in any time of the year.<ref name=MSL />

''Herpestes fuscus'' was the [[scientific name]] proposed by [[George Robert Waterhouse]] in 1838 for a greyish brown mongoose skin that had been purchased in [[Madras]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Waterhouse, G.R. |year=1838 |title=On two new species of Mammalia, from the Society's collection, belonging to the genera ''Gerbillus'' and ''Herpestes'' |journal=Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London |volume=VI |pages=55–56 |url=https://archive.org/details/proceedingsofgen36zool/page/n397/mode/2up}}</ref> All Asian mongooses are now thought to belong in the genus ''[[Urva (genus)|Urva]]''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=ASM Mammal Diversity Database|url=https://www.mammaldiversity.org/index.html|access-date=2021-07-08|website=www.mammaldiversity.org}}</ref>

 

[[Category:Urva (genus)|Indian brown mongoose]]