Marsh/Water Mongoose (Kommetjiegatmuishond - Atilax paludinosus) inspecting the camera at the pond
Another mongoose also darted past one of the other cameras. They eat anything from crabs, frogs and fish to rodents, birds and reptiles. They are usually associated with water, but will use temporary streams or ponds. They will sometimes venture a good distance away from the closest water body.
Nose to the ground
While I do my camera trapping rounds I also try and keep my nose to the ground. I try and keep an eye open for animal signs, tracks and anything interesting that I might stumble upon. At the beginning of the month I photographed this beetle munching away at some pollen at Tygerberg Nature Reserve.
Digging in
Moving on to the next flower
That last beetle shot is stunning. You realise that you've let a mongoose be upstaged by a mere invertebrate. How could you?!
ReplyDeleteThat mongoose picture warmed the cockles of my heart. I had a couple of water mongooses I studied in captivity during grad school. A captive mother and youngster.They were pulled from the exhibit at the National Zoo when the neonate was discovered on the floor of the cage. The keepers hadn't noticed she was pregnant. Splendid creatures. Never tired of watching them crack eggs mongoose style.
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