Yellow Mongoose
Cynictis penicillata
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderCarnivora (Carnívors)
- FamilyHerpestidae (Mongooses)
- GenusCynictis (Yellow Mongooses)
- SpeciesCynictis penicillata (Yellow Mongoose)
The yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata), sometimes referred to as the red meerkat, is a member of the mongoose family. It averages about 0.45 kg (1 lb) in weight and about 510 mm (20 in) in length. It lives in open country, semi-desert scrubland and grasslands in Angola, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. It is the only species in the genus Cynictis. Wikipedia →
20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow Mongoose sighting in Etosha National Park, based on 62 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Etosha National Park
Banded Mongoose
Mungos mungo
Slender Mongoose
Galerella sanguinea
Lion
Panthera leo
Spotted Hyena
Crocuta crocuta
Cheetah
Acinonyx jubatus
Leopard
Panthera pardus
Honey Badger
Mellivora capensis
African Wildcat
Felis lybica
Cape Fox
Vulpes chama
Bat-eared Fox
Otocyon megalotis
Brown Hyaena
Hyaena brunnea
Northern Small-spotted Genet
Genetta genetta
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 4 | Namib-Naukluft National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 5 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 6 | Moremi Game Reserve | 🇧🇼 Botswana |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Yellow Mongoose in Etosha National Park?
About 28% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow Mongoose sighting in Etosha National Park, based on 62 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Yellow Mongoose in Etosha National Park?
February has the highest sighting rate for Yellow Mongoose in Etosha National Park in our monthly data.