Wildlifeof Sri Lanka
Ruddy Mongoose
Civets & Mongooses
Photo: Philipp Pavelka · CC BY 4.0 (May be cropped or resized)
Urva smithii
Basic stats
Diet
Birds, rat snakes, land monitors, rodents and snails
Size
40-45cm body, 36cm tail
The ruddy mongoose has greyish-brown fur and a tail ending in a darker tassel. It measures 40 to 45 cm from head to body, with a tail of about 36 cm (Yapa and Ratnavira 2013, and Hunter 2020, as reported on Wikipedia).
It takes birds, rat snakes, land monitors, rodents and snails, and hunts by day and by night (Prater 1971, as reported on Wikipedia). Nationally Least Concern (Sri Lanka National Red List 2012).
Quick answers
- What does the Ruddy Mongoose eat?
- Birds, rat snakes, land monitors, rodents and snails
- How big is the Ruddy Mongoose?
- 40-45cm body, 36cm tail