[3] In 1829, Georges Cuvier referred to a mongoose in the marshes of the Cape Province using the scientific name Herpestes paludinosus.

[6] The marsh mongoose's fur is dark reddish brown to black with white and fawn coloured guard hairs.

[1] It inhabits freshwater wetlands, marshes and swamps along slow-moving rivers and streams, in forested, jungle and savanna regions.

[15] A radio-collared male marsh mongoose in Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve was most active during early mornings and late evenings, but rested by day in burrows situated in dry areas above water and mud in a dense cover of high grasses and climbing plants.

[2] Scat of marsh mongooses collected around Lake St Lucia contained foremost remains of crustaceans, amphibians, insects and fish.

[17] They deposit scat at specific latrine sites located on low shrubs, on rocks or sand well away from the water edge.

Scat of marsh mongoose collected in a rocky coastal habitat contained remains of sandhoppers, shore crab (Cyclograpsus punctatus), pink-lipped topshell (Oxystele sinensis) and Tropidophora snails.

It feeds on rodents like giant pouched rats (Cricetomys), Temminck's mouse (Mus musculoides), Tullberg's soft-furred mouse (Praomys tulbergi), grass frogs (Ptychadena), crowned bullfrog (Hoplobatrachus occipitalis), herald snake (Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia), mudskippers (Periophthalmus), insects such as spiders and Coleoptera, snails and slugs, Bivalvia, Decapoda as well as fruits, berries and seeds.

[20] In 2006, it was estimated that about 950 marsh mongooses are hunted annually in the Cameroon part of the Cross–Sanaga–Bioko coastal forests.