Galerella sanguinea
Silhouette: Margot Michaud · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~70% in a week ~90%
The common slender mongoose (Herpestes sanguineus), also known as the black-tipped mongoose, the black-tailed mongoose, or just the slender mongoose is a very common mongoose species native to sub-Saharan Africa. The scientific name Herpestes sanguineus was proposed by Eduard Rüppell in 1835 who described a reddish mongoose observed in the Kordofan region.
As the name suggests, the common slender mongoose has a lithe body of 27.5–40 cm (10.8–15.7 in) and a long tail of 23–33 cm (9.1–13.0 in). Males weigh 640–715 g (22.6–25.2 oz), while the smaller females weigh 460–575 g (16.2–20.3 oz). These measurements are consistent with the average measurements given by Rood and Wozencraft.
The color of their fur varies widely between subspecies, from a dark reddish-brown to an orange red, grey, or even golden yellow, but these mongooses can be distinguished from other mongooses due to the prominent black or red tip on their tails. They also have silkier fur than the other African members of their family.
The common slender mongoose occurs throughout sub-Saharan Africa, where it is most common in the savannah and semiarid plains,... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aberdare National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 2 | uMkhuze Game Reserve | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | South Luangwa National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 4 | Gonarezhou National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 5 | Moremi Game Reserve | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 6 | Liwonde National Park | 🇲🇼 Malawi | |
| 7 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 8 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 9 | Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 10 | Tsavo West National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 11 | Pilanesberg National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 12 | Tarangire National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 13 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 14 | Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 15 | Nairobi National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 16 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 17 | Masai Mara National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 18 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 19 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pretoria | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Johannesburg | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Durban | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Slender Mongoose sighting in South Luangwa National Park on a given day, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 20th most-seen of the 23 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February and November
In those months about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Slender Mongoose in South Luangwa National Park on a given day, against under 5% in October, the lowest month. Those are among South Luangwa National Park's wettest months, with about 160 mm of rain a month against almost none in September. December and January have too few records to rate.
Between 3 and 6 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Slender Mongoose sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 19
Of the 19 parks where we can rate Slender Mongoose sightings, South Luangwa National Park ranks 3rd at about 30%. The best odds are in Aberdare National Park (Kenya, about 50%) and uMkhuze Game Reserve (South Africa, about 40%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Herpestidae
The closest relatives of the Slender Mongoose that you can see in South Luangwa National Park (family Herpestidae, Mongooses) are Banded Mongoose (about 30%) and White-tailed Mongoose (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Slender Mongoose is recorded against all the mammals logged in South Luangwa National Park (11 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.
