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By Kristen Nowicki
Geographic Range
Ring-tailed mongooses, Galidia elegans, are native to Madagascar, an island off the southeast coast of Africa. They inhabit the northern, eastern, and west central areas of the island. (Garbutt, 1999)
Other Geographic Terms:
island endemic 
.
Habitat
Galidia elegans thrives in the humid forested areas of Madagascar. This species occupies an area of approximately 650,878 ha. The forest type is subtropical to tropical dry forest. (Garbutt, 1999; Nowak, 1997)
These animals are found in the following types of habitat:
tropical ; terrestrial .
Terrestrial Biomes:
forest .
Physical Description
(24.64 to 31.68 oz)
(12.6 to 14.96 in)
Ring-tailed mongooses are relatively small, ranging between 32 and 38 cm in length and weighing from 700 to 900 g. These animals have a long, thin body, a round head, a pointed snout, and small, round ears. They have short legs, webbing on their feet, short claws, and hair on the underside of the feet. Their pelage is a deep reddish-brown across the head and body, and black on the feet. As the name implies, their long, bushy, raccoon-like tail is colored with black and red rings. (Garbutt, 1999; Nowak, 1997)
Some key physical features:
endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry .
Sexual dimorphism: sexes alike.
Reproduction
These animals are apparently capable of breeding annually.
Breeding occurs between April and November.
The mating system of this species has not been reported. However, these animals are found often alone or in pairs, and are not as social as many other viverids. This implies that they may be monogamous, although there are no data to confirm this. (Nowak, 1997)
Ring-tailed mongooses mate from April to November. After a gestation period of from 72 to 91 days, females give birth to a single offspring. Births occur between July and February. The young reach adult size at about one year of age, and reproductive maturity is attained in their second year. (Garbutt, 1999; Nowak, 1997)
Key reproductive features:
iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization ; viviparous .
No information is available detailing parental care in this species. However, it is likely that, as is the case for most carnivores, the young are altricial, and do not open their eyes until they are a few weeks old. The mother probably gives birth to her young in a den or burrow, where the infant remains protected until it is able to move around well in its environment. Because this is a mammalian species, we know that the female provides milk to her offspring. The duration of nursing has not been reported, nor the length of association between the young and parents after birth. It is not known if the father participates in parental care.
Parental investment:
no parental involvement; altricial ; pre-fertilization (protecting: female); pre-hatching/birth (provisioning: female, protecting: female); pre-weaning/fledging (provisioning: female, protecting: female); pre-independence (provisioning: female, protecting: female).
Lifespan/Longevity
[External Source: Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research]
There are records of ring-tailed mongooses living up to thirteen years in captivity, but their lifespan in the wild is likely half that. (Nowak, 1997)
Behavior
Information on the social behavior of ring-tailed mongooses is somewhat conflicting. Some reports indicate that these animals are gregarious, and live in groups of about 5. Others indicate that these are not very social animals, and are seen most often alone or in pairs. The groups which have been reported are centered around a main male and female couple, and so might represent a family unit. (Garbutt, 1999; Nowak, 1997)
Galidia elegans is an agile mammal, and a proficient climber. They are primarily terrestrial, but more arboreal than other viverids. They are active during the day, and are reported to be very playful. Overnight, they nest in burrows they dig or in tree cavities. (Nowak, 1997)
Home Range
The home range size for these animals has not been reported.
Communication and Perception
Communication via scent marking is important in ring-tailed mongooses. Only the males have anal sacs. Males rub on tree trunks, branches, and rocks. (Garbutt, 1999)
Because these animals are diurnal, they probably have some visual communications, through body postures, with conspecifics. Tactile communication is always important in mammals, especially between mates, parents and their offspring, and rivals for territory or mating partners. Although no vocalizations are reported in the sources summarized here, it is likely that these animals also use noises to communicate with one another.
Other communication keywords:
scent marks .
Food Habits
Ring-tailed mongooses are carnivorous, but also consume insects and fruit. Their food includes small mammals, invertebrates, reptiles, fish, birds, eggs, and fruit. (Garbutt, 1999; Nowak, 1997)
Primary Diet:
carnivore (eats terrestrial vertebrates).
Animal Foods:
birds; mammals; reptiles; fish; eggs; insects.
Plant Foods:
fruit.
Predation
No information regarding predators was found.
Ecosystem Roles
Galidia elegans is a predator of small mammals and birds in the forests of Madagascar. It is also a competitor of the small Indian civet, Viverricula indica. (Garbutt, 1999)
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
Galidia elegans is known to scavange in human occupied areas and may be considered a pest. (Garbutt, 1999)
Ways that these animals might be a problem for humans:
household pest.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
It is unlikely that this species has any positive impact on human economies.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: [link]:
Vulnerable.
US Federal List: [link]:
No special status.
CITES: [link]:
No special status.
Ring-tailed mongooses are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. The population is believed to have decreased by 20% over the past ten years due to habitat reduction and degredation. This problem of habitat loss is compounded by competition with small Indian civets, as well as with feral dogs and cats. (Garbutt, 1999; IUCN, 2002)
For More Information
Find Galidia elegans information at
Contributors
Nancy Shefferly (editor), Animal Diversity Web Staff.
Kristen Nowicki (author), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Chris Yahnke (editor, instructor), University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.
