Yellow Mongoose
Yellow MongooseYellow MongooseYellow MongooseYellow Mongoose

Yellow Mongoose

Cynictis penicillata

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
40–50% · Likely
overall probability at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
92 Verified records at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

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 →

40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow Mongoose sighting in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, based on 92 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Slender-tailed Meerkat
LC

Slender-tailed Meerkat

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Suricata suricatta

30–40% · Possible
Slender Mongoose

Slender Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Galerella sanguinea

20–30% · With luck
Banded Mongoose
LC

Banded Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Mungos mungo

Insufficient data
Lion
VU

Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera leo

50–60% · Likely
Cheetah
VU

Cheetah

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Acinonyx jubatus

40–50% · Likely
Bat-eared Fox
LC

Bat-eared Fox

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Otocyon megalotis

20–30% · Possible
Leopard
VU Endemic

Leopard

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera pardus

20–30% · Possible
Spotted Hyena
LC

Spotted Hyena

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Crocuta crocuta

20–30% · Possible
African Wildcat
LC

African Wildcat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Felis lybica

20–30% · Possible
Brown Hyaena

Brown Hyaena

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Hyaena brunnea

20–30% · Possible
Honey Badger
LC

Honey Badger

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Mellivora capensis

20–30% · Possible
Cape Fox
LC Endemic

Cape Fox

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Vulpes chama

20–30% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

40–50
Jan
40–50
Feb
40–50
Mar
40–50
Apr
30–40
May
40–50
Jun
30–40
Jul
40–50
Aug
50–60
Sep
40–50
Oct
30–40
Nov
40–50
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

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
40–50%
2 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
30–40%
3 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
20–30%
4 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
10–20%
5 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
10–20%
6 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
5–10%

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Yellow Mongoose in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?

About 43% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow Mongoose sighting in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, based on 92 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Yellow Mongoose in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Yellow Mongoose in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in our monthly data.

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