In Forests, Literature and Mythology
#intothewildwithrufus
We chanced upon these Stripe-Necked Mongooses in Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, Karnataka.
The Stripe-necked mongoose is the largest mongoose in Asia. They are native to southern India (primarily the Western Ghats and some parts of the Eastern Ghats) and Sri Lanka.
It always has a black stripe, thinly bordered with white, from ear to shoulder on both sides of the neck, and hence the name ‘Stripe-necked’!
The Mongoose is primarily terrestrial ie., ground-dwelling creatures, and spend a lot of their time foraging on the ground. Moreover, they are diurnal i.e., they are active during the day and generally solitary. They also tend to avoid human habitation.
They use their keen sense of smell and long claws to locate and dig out prey from holes in the ground or under debris.
Be it beetles, millipedes, ants, crickets, termites, grasshoppers, Rodents (mice, rats), small reptiles (lizards, small snakes), amphibians (frogs), ground birds and their eggs, they have them all.
In Indian mythology, Kubera, king of the Yakshas, is the guardian of treasures. His pet mongoose spits out precious gems.
In literature, mongooses are often depicted as brave and resourceful. A notable example is Rudyard Kipling’s “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi”, where a mongoose named Rikki-Tikki bravely battles cobras to protect a family.
“The Loyal Mongoose,” a Panchatantra story, highlights the importance of careful thought before action.
A couple leaves their infant child with their pet mongoose for a while. Upon their return, they see the mongoose with blood on its mouth and immediately conclude it has harmed their baby.
Without pausing to consider the situation, they attack and kill the mongoose. They soon discover their baby is safe and the blood on the mongoose is from a snake the mongoose had killed to protect the child. The story emphasizes the need to think carefully before acting and avoid making assumptions based on limited information.
Best Seen At: Nagarhole NP, Karnataka; Aanamalai WLS, Tamil Nadu
Locally Common Social Unit: Solitary or pairs
Citations
Pattanaik, Devdutt. Indian Mythology: Tales, Symbols, and Rituals from the Heart of the Subcontinent. Vermont: Inner Traditions, 2003
Menon, Vivek. Indian Mammals: A Field Guide. Gurgaon: Hachette Books, 2014.
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