{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "mongoose",
  "name": "Banded Mongoose",
  "scientificName": "Mungos mungo",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "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.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Carnivora",
    "family": "Herpestidae",
    "genus": "Mungos"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 2,
    "lengthM": 0.45,
    "topSpeedKmh": 32,
    "lifespanYears": 10
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Mungos mungo"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Omnivore — insects, rodents, reptiles, eggs, and fruit"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Savannas and open woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "8–10 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "1.5–2.5 kg (3.3–5.5 lb)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 32 km/h (20 mph)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Banded mongoose in sub-Saharan savannas from Senegal and Ethiopia to Botswana and South Africa.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Mungos mungo.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Mungos%20mungo&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Mungos mungo. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Mungos_mungo/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/mongoose/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/mongoose/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}