Yellow Mongoose
Cynictis penicillata
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderCarnivora (Carnívors)
- FamilyHerpestidae (Mongooses)
- GenusCynictis (Yellow Mongooses)
- SpeciesCynictis penicillata (Yellow Mongoose)
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 →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow Mongoose sighting in Namib-Naukluft National Park, based on 32 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Namib-Naukluft National Park
Slender-tailed Meerkat
Suricata suricatta
Slender Mongoose
Galerella sanguinea
Cape Gray Mongoose
Galerella pulverulenta
Afro-Australian Fur Seal
Arctocephalus pusillus
Brown Hyaena
Hyaena brunnea
Cape Fox
Vulpes chama
Bat-eared Fox
Otocyon megalotis
Leopard
Panthera pardus
African Wildcat
Felis lybica
Cheetah
Acinonyx jubatus
Northern Small-spotted Genet
Genetta genetta
Spotted Hyena
Crocuta crocuta
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
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 | |
| 2 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 4 | Namib-Naukluft National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 5 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 6 | Moremi Game Reserve | 🇧🇼 Botswana |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Yellow Mongoose in Namib-Naukluft National Park?
About 14% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow Mongoose sighting in Namib-Naukluft National Park, based on 32 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Yellow Mongoose in Namib-Naukluft National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Yellow Mongoose in Namib-Naukluft National Park in our monthly data.