Wildlifeof India
Crab-eating Mongoose
Civets, Mongooses & Hyena
Photo: Rejoice Gassah · CC-BY (May be cropped or resized)
Urva urva
Basic stats
Diet
Crabs, fish, snails, frogs, rodents, birds, reptiles and insects
Habitat
Stream banks and water edges; recorded from sea level to 1,800m
Range
North-eastern Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia to southern China and Taiwan
Size
Head and body 47.7–55.8cm; tail 28–34cm
Weight
1.1–2.5kg
The crab-eating mongoose is grey on the sides and dusky brown on the neck, chest, belly and limbs. A broad white stripe runs along each side of the neck from the cheeks to the shoulder, the top of the head has white specks, the chin is white and the throat grey. The ears are short and rounded. Head and body length is 47.7–55.8 cm with a bushy 28–34 cm tail, and weight is 1.1–2.5 kg (Wikipedia, general species account).
In India it has been recorded in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and its range extends through north-east India to Southeast Asia, at altitudes from sea level to 1,800 m. It is usually active in the mornings and evenings and has been seen in groups of up to four. It is thought to swim well and hunts along stream banks and near water. Despite the name it eats far more than crabs, taking fish, snails, frogs, rodents, birds, reptiles and insects (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What does the Crab-eating Mongoose eat?
- Crabs, fish, snails, frogs, rodents, birds, reptiles and insects
- What habitat does the Crab-eating Mongoose live in?
- Stream banks and water edges; recorded from sea level to 1,800m
- Where is the Crab-eating Mongoose found?
- North-eastern Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia to southern China and Taiwan
- How big is the Crab-eating Mongoose?
- Head and body 47.7–55.8cm; tail 28–34cm
- How much does the Crab-eating Mongoose weigh?
- 1.1–2.5kg