Bdeogale nigripes
black-footed mongoose

Bdeogale nigripes lives in African rainforests, from southeastern Nigeria to northern Democratic Republic of the Congo and also northern Angola. (Nowak ,1999)

Black-legged mongooses live in dense African rainforests and are often found near rivers. (Rosevear, 1974)

The body of B. nigripes is long, ranging from 375 to 600 mm long with short limbs and a blunt muzzle. The tail is 175 to 375 mm long. Adult animals stand 150 to 175 mm at the shoulders. These mammals weigh between 900 and 3000 g.

The upper layer of fur on the black-legged mongoose is long and coarse with a soft, dense undercoat. The individual hairs are generally banded with colors ranging from white at the base to dark brown at the tip. Their predominant coat color is grayish-brown with black legs. Several molts can occur which progressively darken the color of the fur as the animal ages.

B. nigripes have 4 shallowly webbed digits with non-retractile claws. Scent glands are located in the anal region. The dental formula is: I 3/3, C 1/1, P 3-4/3-4, M 2/2 = 36 – 40. The dentition and skulls of B. nigripes are less specialized than the more carnivorous mustelids.

(Nowak, 1999; Rosevear, 1974)

See Reproduction.

The mating system and behavior of this species has not been characterized.

B. nigripes have 1 young per litter. Mating occurs during the dry season of West Africa and the young are born between November and January. (Nowak, 1999; Rosevear 1974)

Although the parental care of this species has not been described, it is reasonable to assume that the female nurses her young, as is the case for all mammals. Herpestids, in general, have altricial offspring, and the mother typically cares for them in some type of burrow or nest until they are able to move about with her. A female and her quarter-grown young were collected in Kenya in December. (Nowak, 1999)

Captive black-legged mongooses have lived for 15 years. (Nowak 1999)

Black-legged mongooses are nocturnal and primarily terrestrial. They are frequently seen in pairs, but adults are generally solitary. In spite of their solitary habit in the wild, adults can be kept together in captivity without hostility. (Ray and Sunquist , 2001; Nowak, 1999)

B. nigripes is primarily insectivorous, feeding on termites, ants, and beetles. They also consume snakes, small mammals and carrion. Captive animals often eat amphibians. They have jaw and dentition structure that suggests crushing abilities but lack any specialization for eating ants. (Ray and Sunquist, 2001; Rosevear, 1974)

With the exception of notes indicating that humans sometimes eat these animals, there is no information available on predation. It is reasonable to assume, however, that these animals sometimes fall victim to larger rainforest carnivores.

Next to nothing is known about the ecology of these animals. Because of their foraging habits, black-legged mongoose populations probably have a negative impact on populations of invertebrates and small mammals on which they feed.

The black-legged mongoose is a source of food in some northeastern African villages. (Ntiamoa – Baidu , 1997)

B. nigripes is often introduced to kill poisonous snakes and rodents but they often kill desirable species of birds and mammals. (Nowak, 1999)

Although no special conservation status for this animals has been reported, because it dwells in the rainforest, a threatened habitat, it is at risk from habitat destruction and human encroachment.

B. nigripes was formerly placed in the genus Galeriscus. (GIS Lab, date unknown)