About Herpestes vitticollis Bennett, 1835
Herpestes vitticollis (stripe-necked mongoose) ranges in color from rusty brown to grizzled grey, with a stout body and short legs. A black stripe runs laterally along both sides of its neck. Its short tail is mostly black, with a grey base. Head-to-body length measures 46–50 cm (18–20 in), while tail length reaches 32 cm (13 in). Males are larger and heavier than females: males weigh around 3.1 kg (6.8 lb), and females weigh about 1.7 kg (3.7 lb). This mongoose is distributed across the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka. One individual was recorded in southern Andhra Pradesh in 1911. It typically lives in riparian habitats or near abandoned tanks, and generally avoids human settlements. In Sri Lanka, it occurs sparsely within protected areas including national parks and sanctuaries, and populations are commonly found at altitudes over 2,000 m (6,600 ft). The species is diurnal, and feeds on frogs, crabs, mouse deer, black-naped hares, rodents, fowl, and reptiles. Details of its reproductive habits are unclear, but pups have been observed in mid-May.
