Kingdom Animalia Order Carnivora Subfamily Herpestinae Scientific name Dologale dybowskii Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Family Herpestidae Genus Dologale
Thomas, 1920 Higher classification Dologale | |
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Similar Angolan kusimanse, Alexander's kusimanse, Angolan slender mongoose, Jackson's mongoose, Flat‑headed kusimanse | ||
The Pousargues's mongoose (Dologale dybowskii), also known as the African tropical savannah mongoose, is the only species in the genus Dologale.
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Little is known about this species. Its range is confined to an area within the south-eastern part of the Central African Republic, and as of 2015 there had been only 31 museum specimens and a handful of sightings in the wild.
Description and behaviour
Pousargues's Mongoose has a body length between 25 and 33 cm (9.8 - 13 inches), a tail length between 16 and 23 cm (6.3 - 9 inches), and weighs between 300 and 400 g (10.6 - 14.1 oz). They are brown in colour with their underside and face being grey. They have a bushy tail and strong claws on their front feet.
Field work carried out between 2011 and 2015 in the south eastern part of Central African Republic revealed a population of Pousargue's Mongoose animals in the Chinko Project Area. The studied Pousargues’s mongoose population shares its jungle home with eight different species of mongoose, and Pousargues’s Mongoose seem to occur in much lower densities than most other mongoose in the Chinko Project Area.
Observations from the Chinko show that Pousargues’s mongoose lives in small groups ranging from three to 12 individuals which move between their favourite termite mounds on a regular basis. Breeding has been observed taking place in mid-May during the early rainy season. A small group of three adults have been observed caring for an infant, carrying it around in their mouths. A first genetic survey based on collected scat samples, shows the Pousargues’s mongoose being a close relative of the forest dwelling Kusimanse crossarchus.
Distribution and habitat
The Pousargue's mongoose is native to open savanna areas of northern Democratic Republic of the Congo, western Uganda, South Sudan, and Central African Republic.
Conservation status
The Pousargues's mongoose is listed as data deficient by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with an unknown population trend. There have been limited sightings of this animal in the wild, and only a few museum specimens exist. While this may indicate that the species is rare or threatened, the IUCN believes that its similar appearance and location may cause it to be mistaken for the Common Dwarf Mongoose (Helogale parvula). If so, the animal may be reclassified as Least Concern.