VMD 512: Zoo/Wild Animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

COMMON MONGOOSE AND COMMON OTTER

Common mongoose (Herpestes edwardsi)

• Size and shape of ears of mongooses differentiate them from civets.
• Mongooses have smaller semi-circular ears that may not project above its head (civets have comparatively larger ears).
• Grouped under Herpestidae.
• Alternate light and dark rings on its hair provides its coat a grizzled ‘pepper and salt’ tinge.
• There is no black tip to the tail unlike the Ruddy Mongoose.
• Hunt their food by day or by night

Common otter (Lutra lutra)

• Fuller, rougher coat is present and is identified by its grizzled dorsal surface due to the pale tips of the longer hairs.
• Hairs of muzzle end above the naked nose in an angular line & is having webbed-foot
• Social animals and excreta on rocks indicate the existence of these animals.
• Lives up in streams of the mountains, lakes, river-beds, bushes etc.