Population dynamics and food habits of the banded mongoose

Abstract

Summary A population of approximately 100 banded mongooses living in six packs was studied for over 2 years in Rwenzori National Park, Uganda. The packs were relatively stable, cohesive social units composed of approximately equal numbers of males and females and varied in size from six to thirty‐five adults and subadults. Breeding was synchronized within the packs with several females producing their litters at approximately the same time. The packs bred up to four times per year. Mortality of animals over 6 months old was approximately 10% annually. Less than 50% of juveniles survived to the age of 3 months. The banded mongoose feeds primarily on invertebrates, particularly millipedes and beetles. Ants, crickets, termites and earwigs are also important elements of the diet. Vertebrate remains were found in 12% of the droppings analysed. Although the pack forages as a unit each individual finds its own food. The mean home range size of five of the packs was 80‐4 ha; the two largest packs had ranges exceeding 1 km2. The banded mongoose is strictly diurnal typically leaving a den in the hour following sunrise and returning a few minutes before sunset with a prolonged rest during the heat of the day. Dens were in termite mounds (usually in thicket clumps), erosion gullies, aardvark holes and occasionally in man‐made structures. Most were used for only a few days and then abandoned but a few preferred dens were occupied for periods up to 54 days and re‐used repeatedly. Interactions between packs were aggressive and appeared to function in spacing the packs. The result of an encounter depended upon pack size with larger packs dominating smaller ones; the area of occurrence did not appear to affect the outcome. Mating between packs was observed during aggressive encounters. Group life is of adaptive significance in protecting the individual from predators and in care of the young. The pack bunches around young mongooses when disturbed and also bunches to attack certain predators and competitors. One or more adults remain at the den to guard the young when the pack forages.

Banded together: a review of the factors favouring group living in a social carnivore, the banded mongoose Mungos mungo (Carnivora: Herpestidae)

“…Mainly because of differences in feeding ecology, it has been speculated that selective forces behind the evolution and maintenance of sociality in mongooses (Herpestidae) may differ from those in carnivores in general (Rood 1975, 1986, Gorman 1979, Waser 1981, Waser and Waser 1985. Characteristically, most social mongooses are insectivorous, small and diurnal and live in open habitats (Gorman 1979, Rood 1986, which is in accordance with a recent analysis of genetic and behavioural data on the origin of sociality in mongooses (Veron et al 2004).…”

“…Hypothesis 1: high abundance and renewability of prey When foraging, banded mongooses scatter and mainly feed on insects and other invertebrates, supplementing their diet with small vertebrates (Neal 1970, Rood 1975, 1982, Hiscocks and Perrin 1991. Both the abundance and renewal rate of their main prey are high (Waser 1981).…”

“…Both the abundance and renewal rate of their main prey are high (Waser 1981). High abundance and renewability of insects, together with relatively low competition in catching them, were probably a precondition for the evolution of group living in mongooses (Rood 1975, 1986, Gorman 1979, Waser 1981, Waser and Waser 1985.…”

“…Hypothesis 3: improved acquisition and defence of resources Banded mongooses cooperatively attack prey, take prey away from other predators and vocally attract other pack members to rich food patches (Simpson 1964, Rood 1975, Messeri et al 1987. Aggressive territorial conflicts between banded mongoose packs are common, particularly during oestrus periods, with larger packs dominating smaller ones (Rood 1975, 1986, Cant et al 2002, Gilchrist and Otali 2002, Mü ller and Manser 2007.…”

Helpers benefit offspring in both the short and long-term in the cooperatively breeding banded mongoose

“…Banded mongooses are primarily insectivorous and the majority of food items fed to pups are beetles and millipedes (Rood 1975). Food items were divided into three size categories: small (items fitting entirely within the mouth of an adult), medium (less than 50% of the prey item visible outside the adult's mouth) and large (more than 50% of the prey item visible outside the adult's mouth).…”