# What Do Banded Mongooses Eat?

> What banded mongooses eat: Omnivore — insects, rodents, reptiles, eggs, and fruit, foraging style, and seasonal shifts in Savannas and open woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa.

- **Species:** Banded Mongoose (*Mungos mungo*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Omnivore — insects, rodents, reptiles, eggs, and fruit
- **Habitat:** Savannas and open woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa
- **Lifespan:** 8–10 years in the wild
- **Top speed:** Up to 32 km/h (20 mph)
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/mongoose/what-do-mongoose-eat/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/mongoose/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The banded mongoose is a small, highly social carnivore-leaning omnivore of sub-Saharan Africa's savannas and open woodlands. Named for the dark bands across its back, it weighs 1.5 to 2.5 kg and measures around 0.45 m in body length. It lives in bustling groups that forage together and famously takes on snakes with speed and agility. The IUCN lists the banded mongoose as Least Concern.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a captive feeding plan from a veterinarian. This page is wild diet, not a pet-care sheet.

## Appearance and identity

The banded mongoose is a compact, ground-dwelling mammal with coarse greyish-brown fur crossed by a series of dark bands running across its back, which give the species its name. It has a slender body, short legs, and strong claws well suited to digging out prey. Adults weigh between 1.5 and 2.5 kg and reach about 0.45 m in body length, plus a tapering tail. Its low, quick build lets it move with the darting agility for which mongooses are famous.

## Help protect the Banded Mongoose

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/mongoose/what-do-mongoose-eat/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.