The Ruddy mongoose (Urva smithii) is a small carnivorous mammal native to hill forests in South Asia. Mongooses are carnivores and among other prey, they hunt various rodents and insects and therefore are often kept to control pests.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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Generally solitaryGenerally solitary animals are those animals that spend their time separately but will gather at foraging areas or sleep in the same location or sh...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Ruddy mongoose has a brownish and coarse fur long in hindquarters, but short in other parts of the body. It is distinguished by the Indian grey mongoose by its slightly larger size and jet black-tipped tail. Male Ruddy mongooses are typically larger and heavier than females.
Ruddy mongooses occur in India and Sri Lanka. They prefer to live in thick jungles, and forest edges near paddy fields and tea estates.
Ruddy mongooses are generally solitary animals, but can spend time in pairs during mating season. They may also gather in small mother and pup family groups consisting of about 5 animals. Ruddy mongooses can be active during the day and night, the time when they search for prey. They spend most of their time on the ground but may climb trees if they need to. They can also swim well When moving around Ruddy mongooses usually carry their black-tipped tail tip curved upward which is visible from a distance. If encountered by a human, they will hide quickly in a crevice or underneath a rock shelf but when cornered, they fight fearlessly with loud and shrill cries.
Ruddy mongooses are carnivores and their main prey includes birds, snakes, lizards, rodents, and snails.
Little is known about the mating system and reproductive behavior of Ruddy mongooses.
There are no major threats to Ruddy mongooses at present.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Ruddy mongoose total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.
