Banded Mongoose
Cape Vidal is a great place to stop for lunch, after driving up slowly from St Lucia game viewing.
First to arrive (much to our surprise) a banded mongoose, we thought nothing more of it's arrival since we have seen the mongoose running through the bush on previous visits.
Little did we anticipate the whole family would appear, aunties uncles, mom and dad with children scampering all around.
Two edged tale:
The animals are on the move during the day looking for morsels to eat in the bush.
Mongoose have learned to beg from visitors stopping for lunch.
The latter could become a problem, wild life needs to fend for itself. Working in a pack of over 20 these would be well capable taking care of each other.
Heavier noises from within the bush, stealthily a Samango Monkey had arrived to see what the fuss is all about. Then there were three, some hidden in the shadows.
This was all happening whilst trying to eat a sandwich, keeping watch that none approach to close.
When the mongoose came within a few feet of us, we clapped our hands loudly to shoo them away, they retreated then held firm at distance of about ten foot.
One Samango monkey tried sneak up to climb into an open vehicle window to see if able to accomplish a 'hit and run'. Next time remember to close everything!
Once everything was finished, realizing their mis-fortune they ambled away to lay in the sun. Aggression levels dropped, some returned to foraging on the ground.
Look at healthy coats glimmering in the light, these mongoose are in excellent condition. Quite content not to run off but to rest for awhile, they flopped to the ground in front of us.
Cheerio little buddy, hope to be back soon!
Anywhere wild animals live, please do not feed them! Photography is all my own - Canon Powershot SX730 HS
Banded mongooses are small carnivores, no more than 12 to 16 inches long and weighing three to five pounds. Similar in look to a weasel or cat, mongooses have brown and gray fur. Unlike other mongoose species, banded mongooses have dark bands across their backs, for which they are named.
Banded Mongoose (Mungos mungo) feed primarily on insects, myriapods, small reptiles, and birds.
"Let us remember that animals are not mere resources for human consumption. They are splendid beings in their own right, who have evolved alongside us as co-inheritors of all the beauty and abundance of life on this planet" ― Marc Bekoff"
!steemitworldmap 28.1232 lat 32.5564 long Banded Mongoose D3SCR
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I have heard stories that these little guys will stand up to lions when threatened by them. Don't know if it is true, but imagine that!
Love your love for nature @joanstewart
You are right Reon, they will stand up together as a pack when confronted by lion, jackal, wild dogs. Teaches us a lesson in strength by numbers, David and Goliath type story.
This pack were quite chatty, fighting within the ranks which did make us a little nervous, being wildlife one always has to be on the lookout for quick unusual moves.
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super cute creatures those are :D
also, did you edit the pictures, or are they as is?
Only sized using Gimp for convenience of movement to 1680 px - from 5184 px, no photo editing at all @tinymischiefs
Cute little critters. Speaking of which, will never forget seeing fair-sized iguanas waddling on the beach in Cuba some years ago.
That must have been a wonderful sighting @bon-nom thanks for sharing.
My home country has Squirrels, Mink, Polecat, Arctic Fox, Raccoon just to mention few. In my country of residence we have mainly cats and dogs and some scorpios. @damiana
We don't see squirrels often @damiana when we do we get excited, as for all the other animals you mention I would have to cross the ocean to come to see. Sadly we don't see wildlife with the way humans are moving in everywhere.
Nice post 😊 Your photographs are beautiful I suppose being there must be like a dream
Thanks for the kind words @juliaimrss yes I love my country and everything it has to offer.
Great shots Lady Joan! Do you have the new Canon Powershot SX70? Blessings and upvoted @joanstewart
(Hubby commandeered the previous Canon I purchased, finding it a lovely camera to put in your pocket and go....)Observant, very observant @papilloncharity yes I saved then pondered over the Canon for about eight months prior to the holiday, a week before going, noticed the newer model so grabbed it before going.
Yes. This is so true. While you fed them it will be imbeded in their minds that its okay to beg and they will become dependent. Still cute though. Lol
Worrying that they are picking up tendency to not be afraid of humans (even living in a well protected area).
Respeto por el planeta animal y sus especies singulares. God save the planet! @xintoe
Looking after our planet and everything in it is the main message, thanks @xinto
Its great to live close to this little animals, they are a clear example in how to live together, supporting each other to survive over years
They are a great example on living together @pabloptimista
These little guys are the coolest!
Rough and tough to say the least @bitcoinflood
You can see that they are resting very comfortable. On my way to work there is a park where chigüires are always resting early in the morning. The next time i see one, will try take a photo
I would be so excited to see a capybara, please do take a photo one day @puskas
These are awesome pictures! It's so cool how you can just casually go and see mongoose (geese?) and monkeys; where I am, it's just a bunch of small birds or squirrels, maybe the odd rabbit...
(kryptonia: motordrive)
Traveling into protected wildlife areas, it is what you see on the day @motordrive having a little luck.
Hahahaha, i love this, this are bush meat . there are many of them in Nigeria here. Its always fun when you see hunter going for hunting, i've witness such before. Just like hunting game.
(definitely not the cooking pot, too small to eat).Quite common up your side of Africa @jacobzeema not too sure about catching them, they are pretty fast. Have been known to be hand reared and kept as pets, my feeling is wildlife should remain wild, unless in need of assistance
They are quite beautiful, if you ask me. the bands make me think of racoons. I can't see the images that well at all, but your descriptions more than make up for that.
I would love to see the masked faces of racoons in the wild.
I would love to touch one of these mongooses, though. I think they would get affinity towards my personality. most animals do, for whatever reason.
I have always been fans of small rodents, they are creative and very entertaining. Animals such as foxes have always fascinated me as well.
They are entertaining to watch, we only have one fox in South Africa. I have only ever seen the Bat-eared Fox (Cape Fox) in Karoo National Park in the Cape Province, many years ago.
It is great to create a habitat for other animals, we humans do share the planet. At my last home we had a sectioned wildlife part to the garden, this was to encourage all wildlife but primarily frogs, and we got a lot of them, trying to do the same again in our new property.
Every garden is alive with animals, we do not spend enough time out there to see it. Good luck with your garden, over here you just add a pond of water and frogs will arrive.
Nice post
Wow! this is amazing. I have never seen wild animals come near people like this. All I see is Bangkok is dogs, cats, and chickens. All of them wander around with little interest in people. When I lived in the US, the animals would run from people but here they will just stay put and you have to go around then to pass.
Great post, Joan :)
Suburban life tends to become like that Sharon, would imagine you have to get out of city to see nature.
Thanks for sharing
I have never seen a mongoose, i don't think they exist here but there are many animals tgat exist that i have not seen....
They look harmless and beautiful though.
Most are found in Africa, some parts of Asia by what I have read, very capable of looking after themselves @golddeejay
BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHY! @joanstewart from kryptonia
Se puede apreciar tu amor por los animales y por la naturaleza @joanstewart. Gracias por compartirnos estos ejemplares tan hermosos. La naturaleza nos da un sin fin de animales que solo debemos quererlos y alimentarlos, dejarlos en libertad es una obligación para que puedan crecer sanos y poderlos disfrutar a lo grande. Saludos desde Kryptonia.
Enjoy nature, thanks for sharing your thoughts @isabelpena
You are welcome.
i live in the philippines i have not seen that kind of animals. i have seen only monkey. the smallest animals we have is cat; i think so.this is from your firend krptonian @iamlover jenniecel oliveros.
Don't live in your part of the world @iamlover
animals is so kind to one another, how i wish humanity is like them helping and loving one another.
this is your friend kryptonia @sorenkierkegaard edenjevy oliveros
All are here for a good purpose, keeping them safe is the least we can do @sorenkierkegaard
I have never seen something like this. But I don't really like rodents, I'm so afraid with rats and mice, and these little ones reminds me of them... And it scares me a lot! :(
You would definitely not have enjoyed them visiting you then @gingbabida
This is the first time i saw these animals. We dont see like this in the Philippines.
Not in your region @rubelynmacion thanks for visiting and comment.
Awesome photos Joan! It's great that you are able to see these animals in their natural habitat. It's too bad that people feel compelled to feed them. Once they lose their fear of humans it becomes a danger to all.
I have never experienced them being so familiar with people @rwedegis a little unnerving to say the least.
Wow, feeling close to the nature there I guess.
Lovely animals!
You live in an amazing place and can observe wild animals in their natural habitat. Great story!