The Status of Nepal's Mammals: The National Red List Series - IUCN

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occasionally raids on poultry.
Females produce litters of between three to seven
young after a gestation period of two months.
Conservation Status
Global: Least Concern
National: Least Concern
Rationale for assessment: This species is listed
as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution,
presumed large population and adaptability to
human dominated landscapes, and estimated to be
increasing.
Legal Status
National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029
(1973). This species occurs within protected areas.
National Population Size
Total: > 10,000 (estimated)
Trend: Increasing (estimated)
53) Herpestes javanicus
(É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1818)
Common Names
Small Asian Mongoose (English); Sano Nyaurimusa
(Nepali)
Synonyms
Herpestes palustris (Ghose, 1965)
Species Description
Smallest of Nepalese mongooses. Dark-brown with
golden speckles. Coat short and silky. An individual
hair if examined shows three dark rings and two
pale rings.
Species Ecology
The Small Asian Mongoose occurs in a variety of
habitats but appears to prefer well-watered areas,
open deciduous forests, shrublands and grasslands.
The Small Asian Mongoose has a broad diet which
includes rats, birds, reptiles, frogs, crabs, insects and
This species is thought to be common and abundant
throughout its range with an increasing population
trend.
National Distribution
This species is distributed across Nepal along the
southern border and occurs within the protected
areas of Chitwan National Park and Bardia National
Park, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Parsa Wildlife
Reserve and Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve.
Distribution outside Nepal
Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bhutan, India, Indonesia,
Islamic Republic of Iran, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mauritius,
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka.
Main Threats
• Habitat Loss.
• Persecution as a pest species.
• Poaching for fur and pet trade.
References
Inskipp 1988, Corbet and Hill 1992, Suwal and Verheught 1995, Santiapillai et al. 2000, Ernst 2003, Shekhar
2003, Sheikh 2005, Baral and Shah 2008, Hem Sagar Baral (pers. obs.) 2010, Nepal Red List of Mammals Field
Technicians Workshop 2010.
scorpions.
This species produces litters of two to four young,
with a gestation period of about seven weeks.