Herpestes auropunctatus

Several times I have mentioned the mongooses who live out back somewhere. We see then run around on the basketball court sometimes and when I mention them several of you have asked what a mongoose is, so I went online while Mom was changing around Kinsey kitten's room to have a look. Here is what I found:

The Herpestes aruopunctatus is the scientific name for the small Indian mongoose that was introduced to the Hawaiian Islands in 1882. The mongoose was brought over to help control the rat population that was destroying the sugar cane fields. It had been introduced in Cuba for the same reason and they had very good luck with mongooses there, however, the rats in Hawaii came out at night and the mongooses come out during the day, so now there are mongooses and rats causing problems here. Unfortunately the mongooses eat the native birds, reptiles, plants, etc. It seems they have unlimited appetities for just about anything. Hmmmm, sounds like some vermin I know.

So here are a couple of pictures I found on the web of mongooses, although I don't think these are the ones who live outback somewheres. They may be relatives though. Mom has tried to take pictures of ours, but they a quick little creatures and are very shy, which I would be too if somewhere were hunting me to remove me from the island.

I wonder if given half the chance these mongooses would eat the vermin here. I bet they would. However, that would make Mom really sad, so I don't want that to happen. I may not like the vermins, but Mom loves them a lot.

~Merlin