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A dark brown dwarf mongoose standing on sandy ground.
Photo: Bernard Dupont, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Dwarf Mongoose

Helogale parvula

Africa's smallest carnivore, a social mongoose that lives in packs led by a dominant female.

🦦 Mongooses and Meerkats
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About the Dwarf Mongoose

Dwarf mongooses are only 7 to 10 inches long, including the tail, and males weigh about 11 ounces. They are the smallest carnivores in Africa. They live in savannas, woodlands and scrub from Somalia and Ethiopia to South Africa and Namibia, often sleeping in termite mounds. They eat mostly insects, plus spiders, scorpions, small animals, eggs and fruit.[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Helogale parvula[1]
Size
7 to 10 inches long, including a 4.7- to 8-inch tail.[1]
Weight
About 11 ounces; females slightly smaller.[1]
Lifespan
Up to 18 years.[1]
Diet
Mostly insects, plus spiders, scorpions, small animals, eggs and fruit.[1]
Habitat
Savannas, woodlands, brush and mountain scrub, often near termite mounds.[1]
Where it lives
Eastern and southern Africa, from Somalia and Ethiopia to South Africa and Namibia.[1]
Group life
Packs of about 12, up to 32. Active during the day.[1]
Babies
About 4 young after a 49- to 56-day pregnancy.[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2015).[2]

Fun facts

  • Hornbills act as lookouts for dwarf mongooses.[1]
  • If their hornbill friends don't show up, mongooses are slow to leave their shelter.[1]
  • Dwarf mongooses start and end each day sunbathing together.[1]

Vocabulary

pack
A group of animals that live and hunt together.
matriarch
A female who leads a family or group.
diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
carnivore
An animal that eats mostly meat.
least concern
A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

  1. [1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Dwarf mongoose.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/dwarf-mongoose (accessed 2026-10-08)
  2. [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Helogale parvula (Common Dwarf Mongoose).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/41609/45206516 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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