Ruddy mongoose
| Ruddy mongoose | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Placentalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Herpestidae |
| Genus: | Urva |
| Species: | U. smithii |
| Binomial name | |
| Urva smithii (Gray, 1837) | |
 | |
| Ruddy mongoose range | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Herpestes smithii | |
The ruddy mongoose (Urva smithii) is a species of mongoose native to the forests of India and Sri Lanka. It is classified as least concern in the IUCN Red List.[1]
Taxonomy
In 1837, British zoologist John Edward Gray proposed the scientific name Herpestes smithii for a zoological specimen in the collection of the British Natural History Museum.[3] Different species names were proposed by various biologists over the years for the ruddy mongooses. In 2009, the Asian mongooses were classified under a new genus, Urva.[4][5] Three different sub-species have been recognized: smithii, thysanurus, and zeylanius.[6]
Distribution and habitat
The ruddy mongoose is found in forests and shrub lands in India and Sri Lanka.[4][7][1] It is mainly a forest dweller and prefers more secluded areas. It has also been recorded to forage in secluded paddy fields in the region.[8] It is classified as least concern in the IUCN Red List.[1]
Description
The ruddy mongoose is a large mongoose with a greyish-brown fur.[9] It has an average head to body length of 40–45 cm (16–18 in) and a 36 cm (14 in) long tail.[10] The long tail features a darker tasseled tip,[9] which is usually curved upward, and is visible from a distance.[8]
Ecology and behavior
The ruddy mongoose hunts during both day and night, and feeds on birds, rat snakes, land monitors, rodents and snails.[8] It is generally considered a solitary animal, though it has been recorded in monogamous pairs during the mating season. Family groups of up to five animals consisting of a mother and pups have been observed in the wild.[10] While they are generally found in thick jungles, and edges of the forests, they occasionally venture into paddy fields and tea estates. They quickly withdraw into a crevice or underneath a rock shelf on confrontation with humans. When they are cornered, they often show aggressive behaviour while making loud and shrill noises.[10]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Mudappa, D.; Choudhury, A.U. (2024) [amended version of 2016 assessment]. "Urva smithii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024 e.T41617A259359666. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T41617A259359666.en. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
- ↑ "Herpestes smithii Gray, 1837". Species+. UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
- ↑ Gray, J. E. (1837). "Description of some or little known Mammalia, principally in the British Museum Collection". The Magazine of Natural History and Journal of Zoology, Botany, Mineralogy, Geology and Meteorology. I (November): 577–587.
- 1 2 "Urva smithii". ASM Mammal Diversity Database. American Society of Mammalogists. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ↑ "Herpestes smithii". Animal Diversity. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ↑ "Indian marsh mongoose Herpestes palustris Ghose". Archived from the original on 8 September 2003.
- ↑ Nowak, Ronald M. (1999). Walker's Mammals of the World (Sixth ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 771. ISBN 978-0-801-85789-8.
- 1 2 3 Prater, S.H. (1971). The Book of Indian Animals (Third ed.). Bombay: Bombay Natural History Society. ISBN 978-0-195-62169-3.
- 1 2 Luke Hunter (2020). Field Guide to Carnivores of the World (2nd ed.). Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 58. ISBN 978-1-472-98267-4.
- 1 2 3 Yapa, A.; Ratnavira, G. (2013). Mammals of Sri Lanka. Colombo: Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka. p. 1012. ISBN 978-955-8576-32-8.
External links
Data related to Herpestes smithii at Wikispecies