White-tailed mongoose

[3] Herpestes albicaudus was the scientific name proposed by Georges Cuvier in 1829 for a mongoose specimen with a white tail from Senegal.

It has a yellow to tan coloration on its body, with long black guard hairs, giving it an overall grizzled grey appearance.

[11] The white-tailed mongoose lives in most of Africa south of the Sahara, and the southern portion of the Arabian Peninsula.

[11] In the East Sudanian Savanna, it was recorded in the transboundary Dinder–Alatash protected area complex during surveys between 2015 and 2018.

By day they will rest in an abandoned burrow, termite mound, or in cavities under tree roots.

[11] These mongooses are very vocal, and make an unusual barking sound that is associated with sexual behavior.

Rats, mice, shrews, lizards, snakes, small birds are also eaten, along with the occasional fruits and berries.

Litters are seen most frequently from February to May, and no young appear at all during the dry season from August to November, which suggests that they only breed once a year.

It is speculated that sexual maturity is reached before two years of age, and that the gestation period is around 60 days.