FIELD GUIDE: MAMMALS

WHITE TAIL MONGOOSE

 Scientific name: Ichneumia albicauda

 Order: Carnivora

Family: Herpestidae

Phylum: Chordata

Genus: Mungos

Kingdom: Animalia

 Vulnerability: Least concern

The white-tailed mongoose attains a weight range of 1.8 to 5.2 kg (4.0 to 11.5 lb), with an average of approximately 3.38 kg (7.5 lb), has a head-and-body length of 53 to 71 cm (21 to 28 in) and a tail length of 40 to 47 cm (16 to 19 in). On average it appears to be the longest and heaviest extant species of mongoose, although its linear and body mass parameters broadly overlap with other larger mongoose species, in particular, the marsh mongoose seems to most closely rival (and possibly match) in range of body masses reported if not average weight.

 Its legs are relatively long for a mongoose. The head is long and narrow. Its large, rounded ears are set low on the sides of the head. It has a yellow to tan coloration on its body, with long black guard hairs, giving it an overall grizzled grey appearance. Distal from the tibiofemoral joint, the legs are black. The base of the large, bushy tail is brownish yellow, and on its distal half, the tail is white . This appendage may comprise up to 40% of the creature's body length. This species lacks hair on its upper lip and on the forepaws. Females have four teats