Crab-eating Mongoose

The crab-eating mongoose is grey on the sides and dusky brown on the neck, chest, belly and limbs. A broad white stripe runs along each side of the neck from the cheeks to the shoulder, the top of the head has white specks, the chin is white and the throat grey. The ears are short and rounded. Head and body length is 47.7–55.8 cm with a bushy 28–34 cm tail, and weight is 1.1–2.5 kg (Wikipedia, general species account).

Its range extends from the north-eastern Indian subcontinent through Southeast Asia to southern China and Taiwan, at altitudes from sea level to 1,800 m. It is usually active in the mornings and evenings and has been seen in groups of up to four. It is thought to swim well and hunts along stream banks and near water. Despite the name it eats far more than crabs, taking fish, snails, frogs, rodents, birds, reptiles and insects.