Atilax paludinosus
Silhouette: Margot Michaud · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The marsh mongoose (Atilax paludinosus), also called water mongoose, is a medium-sized mongoose species native to sub-Saharan Africa that inhabits freshwater wetlands. It has been listed as a Least-concern species on the IUCN Red List since 2008.
The generic name Atilax was introduced in 1826 by Frédéric Cuvier. In 1829, Georges Cuvier referred to a mongoose in the marshes of the Cape Province using the scientific name Herpestes paludinosus. It is the only extant member of the genus Atilax, although an extinct ancestral species from the Early Pleistocene known as Atilax mesotes was also a member of the genus.
The marsh mongoose's fur is dark reddish brown to black with white and fawn coloured guard hairs. The hair behind the neck and in front of the back is short, but longer on the hind legs and on the tail. Its muzzle is short with a fawn coloured mouth, short whiskers and a naked rhinarium. It has 3.1.3.23.1.3.2 × 2 = 36 teeth. Its short ears are round. It has two nipples. Its feet have five flexible digits each with curved claws, but without any webbing. The soles of its feet are naked.
Females measure 48.72 cm (19.18 in) in head-to-body length... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Odzala-Kokoua National Park | 🇨🇬 Republic of the Congo | |
| 2 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durban | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Johannesburg | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Cape Town | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zoo Pilsen | 🇨🇿 Czechia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Marsh Mongoose sighting in Garden Route National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 31st most-seen of the 35 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January–March and May
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Marsh Mongoose in Garden Route National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April and June–December, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Marsh Mongoose sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 3
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Marsh Mongoose sightings, Garden Route National Park ranks 3rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Odzala-Kokoua National Park (Republic of the Congo, about 20%) and Table Mountain National Park (South Africa, about 10%).
Same family: Herpestidae
The closest relatives of the Marsh Mongoose that you can see in Garden Route National Park (family Herpestidae, Mongooses) are Cape Gray Mongoose (about 10%) and Egyptian Mongoose (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Marsh Mongoose is recorded against all the mammals logged in Garden Route National Park (5 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
