The white-tailed mongoose (Ichneumia albicauda ) is a species in the mongoose family Herpestidae. It is the only member of the genus Ichneumia.
The White-tailed mongoose is a small carnivorous mammal that is found in Africa. On average it appears to be the longest and heaviest extant species of mongoose. Its legs are relatively long for a mongoose. The head is long and narrow. Its large, rounded ears are set low on the sides of the head. It has a yellow to tan coloration on its body, with long black guard hairs, giving it an overall grizzled grey appearance. The base of the large, bushy tail is brownish yellow, and on its distal half, the tail is white. This species lacks hair on its upper lip and on the forepaws.
White-tailed mongooses live in most of Africa south of the Sahara, and the southern portion of the Arabian Peninsula. These animals inhabit a wide range of habitats, from semi-desert to savanna woodland, but avoid moist areas like the Congo River basin or extremely arid areas. They prefer areas of thick cover, such as the edges of forests and brushy streams.
White-tailed mongooses are nocturnal and terrestrial animals. By day they usually rest in an abandoned burrow, termite mound, or in cavities under tree roots. The average home range is 0.97 km2 (0.37 sq mi) for males and 0.64 km2 (0.25 sq mi) for females. Ranges of males do not overlap, but ranges of opposite sexes overlap significantly. Females either live alone with their own offspring or in a small group with other females and their offspring, although they do not associate with each other. Though they may share a range, they forage separately. They are, for the most part, solitary creatures, with the male and female only coming together to mate. Reports of groups are either a breeding pair or a mother and her offspring. White-tailed mongooses do not migrate except to establish their own territory away from their mother's range. They are very vocal creatures and make an unusual barking sound that is associated with mating behavior. If frightened, they will secrete a noxious substance from their anal glands. They do not stand on their hind feet for any length of time like other mongooses.
White-tailed mongooses have a carnivorous diet and feed mostly on insects, but will also eat a wide variety of other foods. Locusts, beetles, and mole crickets make up the majority of their diet. Rats, mice, shrews, lizards, snakes, small birds are also eaten, along with the occasional fruits and berries. They also eat the eggs of birds which they break open by throwing them between their hind legs against a rock or other hard object. White-tailed mongooses may also raid chicken houses in areas where domestic poultry is raised.
Little is known about the reproductive habits of White-tailed mongooses. Litters are seen most frequently from February to May, and no young appear at all during the dry season from August to November; this suggests that they only breed once a year. The female usually gives birth to 1 to 3 young that are fully weaned at 9 months of age. Around this time, they disperse. It is speculated that the gestation period is around 60 days and that reproductive maturity is reached before 2 years of age.
There are no major threats to this species at present.
According to IUCN Red List, the White-tailed mongoose is locally common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
