Common Dwarf Mongoose

This is a wonderful spotting, Mel, and it makes me smile :) I remember these little guys very fondly. Regarding the ID, sometimes I'll just put into the notes other species that have also been considered plus relevant links.

Thanks for the link, that is really helpful, both for the mongoose and other mammals. I think you are spot on with the common dwarf mongoose and will edit appropriately. :-)

That's definitely a possibility, Mel. There are six species of mongoose documented in the Mara region, but between some species the variations can be subtle. I've looked at a number of sites. The six listed here seems accurate, and three can be ruled out immediately.... https://www.maratriangle.org/about-us/di... Click on each.

Many thanks for your help Neil, when looking up the Latin name to change the details on the spotting, I came across a picture of a marsh mongoose which looks a possible match being black and longer haired. Notes in Collins field guide say habitat of streams and wetlands with concealing vegetation. What do you think?

Awesome spotting, Mel! Mongooses/geese (?) are amazing animals. Just from these photos, I think these little guys could be the common dwarf mongoose. From memory, they were darker than the slender mongoose (not always the case), but it was the tail I remember. The dwarf mongoose came to a point, whereas the slender mongoose had a longer, fluffier tail that was usually darker at the tip. Your photos show a shorter, pointier tail.