Indian grey mongoose  (Herpestes edwardsii)

Description

The Indian grey mongoose is a small, slender carnivore, with a long, bushy, tapering tail, short legs, and sharp, non-retractable claws (2) (3) (5) (6). The snout is long and pointed, and the short, rounded ears barely protrude above the profile of the head (2) (3) (6). The coat is coarse and fairly long, and greyish to light brown in colour, with the individual hairs banded black and white, giving an overall grizzled appearance. The muzzle, cheeks and edges of the ears have a rusty brown tinge (2) (3) (6) (7). The male may be slightly larger than the female (3). A number of subspecies of Indian grey mongoose are recognised, although a revision of these may be needed (1). This species can be distinguished from the similar small Indian mongoose, Herpestes javanicus, by its larger size and longer, coarser fur, which has a reddish rather than yellowish tinge (3) (6).

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