Short description of Herpestes javanicus, Small Asian mongoose

The small Asian mongoose, also known as the Javan mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) has a slender body with short legs, long, muscular tail, elongated head and short ears. Their thick, soft fur is pale to dark brown in colour and is flecked with golden spots. The body length (head to end of tail) ranges from 544 to 671mm for males and 509 to 578mm for females, with males having a wider head than females. There is some controversy as to whether the small Indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus) is indeed a separate species or a subspecies of the former.

Habitat summary: Herpestes javanicus, Small Asian mongoose

There is little information on the habitat preferences of small Asian mongoose in its native range, though it is often cited as having an aversion to rain and water, suggesting drier habitats are preferred. Found in a variety of habitats including deserts, grasslands, forests, agricultural areas and urban areas.

Overview table

Environment	Terrestrial
Species status	Non-Native
Native range
Functional type	Predator
Status in England
Status in Scotland
Status in Wales
Location of first record
Date of first record	Unknown

Origin

The native range of the small Asian mongoose extends from Iran to northern India and Southeast Asia.

First Record

No known records in GB.

Pathway and Method

Could reach GB through intentional or unintentional release.

Species Status

The small Asian mongoose is thought to be common in some parts of its range and is classified as ‘Least Concern’ for conservation by the IUCN, though population trends are largely unknown.

Dispersal Mechanisms

They can climb trees, and although they can swim, they rarely do so and avoid swimming in water more than 5cm. This may prevent them from invading unpopulated islands, however, intentional or unintentional releases of mongooses or climate related changes could result in spread throughout Europe. Home ranges average 2.2-4.2 ha for adults.

The species was introduced in much of its non-native range as a biological control agent, but it has thought to have had little success in controlling rat and snake populations. However, introduction to Mljet in Croatia successfully eradicated the horned viper (Vipera ammodytes).

Reproduction

Small Asian mongoose reach sexual maturity at 10 months, though the youngest wild-caught pregnant female was four months old. They have a gestation period of 42-50 days, a litter size 1-5 pups and breed two or three times a year.

Known Predators/Herbivores

No known predators in its introduced range.

Resistant Stages

None known.

Habitat Occupied in GB

Not currently present in GB.

The small Asian mongoose has been intentionally introduced as a control agent for rats and snakes mainly in agricultural areas, from which it spreads throughout local areas. It has been successfully introduced to 64 oceanic islands and continental South America and Europe. It was introduced to some islands in Croatia early in the 20th Century and since then it has spread along the southern Dalmatian and Montenegro coast up to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the north and Albania in the south with the potential to spread to other southern European countries. There are no known records of the species in GB.

Environmental Impact

Predation by small Asian mongoose has thought to have played a large contribution to the extinction of barred-wing rail (Nesoclopeus poecilopterus) and the possible extinction of Jamaica petrol (Pterodroma caribbaea). Predation has led to the decline and local extinction of many other native birds, as well as mammals, reptiles and amphibians, worldwide. For example, Audubon's shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri) and ground-based skinks are thought to have become locally extinct in Mauritius, Amami rabbits (Pentalagus furnessi) have declined in southern Japan and the Cuban solenodon (Solenodon cubanus) in Cuba.

Health and Social Impact

Small Asian mongoose are carriers of rabies and human Leptospira bacterium.

Economic Impact

The cost of eradication attempts is high: annual costs are $10,000 in Puerto Rico and $20,000 in Mauritius, and the total cost of eradication in the Yambaru area, Japan, cost $5,058,000 between 2005 and 2009.

Identification

Gilchrist, J.S., Jennings, A.P., Veron, G. Cavallini, P. (2009) Family Herpestidae. In: D. Wilson, R.A. Mittermeier (eds) Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Lynx edicions, Barcelona, Spain. 262-328. Nellis, D.W. 1989. Herpestes auropunctatus. Mammalian species. Number 342. American Society of Mammalogists, New York, New York, USA

Biology, ecology, spread, vectors

Akrim, F., Fatima, H., Nazir, S.A., Mahmood, T., Hussain, R. and Nadeem, M.S. (2017) Seasonal hormones, female reproductive tract changes, and some field observations on breeding activities of the small Indian mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) from its native range of Potohar Plateau, Pakistan, Turkish Journal of Zoology 41: 664 -673. Barun, A., Budinski, I. and Simberloff, D., 2008. A ticking time-bomb. The small Indian mongoose in Europe. Aliens, 26, pp.14-16. Jennings, A.P. and Veron, G. (2011) Predicted distributions and ecological niches of 8 civet and mongoose species in Southeast Asia, Journal of Mammalogy 92: 316-327. Mahmood, T. and Adil, Ayesha. (2017) Diet composition of small Indian mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) varies seasonally in its native range, Animal Biology 67: 69 -80.

Management and impact

Barun, A., Hansonm C.C., Campbell, K.J. and Simberloff, D. (2011) A review of small Indian mongoose management and eradications on islands, Island invasives: eradication and management. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. Hays, W.S. and Conant, S. (2007) Biology and impacts of Pacific Island invasive species. 1. A worldwide review of effects of the small India mongoose, Herpestes javanicus (Carnivora: Herpestidae), Pacific Science 61: 3-16. Pitt, W.C., Sugihara, R.T. and Berentsen, A.R. (2015) Effect of travel distance, home range, and bait on the management of small Indian mongooses, Herpestes javanicus, Biological Invasions 17: 1743-1759. Roy, S.S., Jones, C.G. and Harris, S. (2002) An ecological basis for control of the mongoose Herpestes javanicus in Mauritius: is eradication possible? In: Veitch, C.R. and Clout, M.N. (eds.) Turning the tide: the eradication of invasive species. IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. Watari, Y., Takatsuki, S. and Miyashita, T. (2008) Effects of exotic mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) on the native fauna of Amami-Oshima Island, southern Japan, estimated by distribution patterns along the historical gradient of mongoose invasion, Biological Invasions 10: 7-17.

General

Boršić, I., Ješovnik, A., Mihinjač, T., Kutleša, P., Slivar, S., Cigrovski Mustafić, M. and Desnica, S. (2018) Invasive Alien Species of Union Concern (Regulation 1143/2014) in Croatia. Natura Croatica: Periodicum Musei Historiae Naturalis Croatici, 27(2): 357-398.