COMPARATIVE BEHAVIOR AND ECOLOGY OF 2 SYMPATRIC MONGOOSE SPECIES (CYNICTIS-PENICILLATA AND GALERELLA-PULVERULENTA)

The activity, movements, home range size, habitat selection, social st ructure, density, pattern of faeces deposition, anti-predator behaviou r, diet, and availability and distribution of the main food sources of two mongoose species [the yellow mongoose Cynictis penicillata and th e Cape grey mongoose Galerella pulverulenta (= Herpestes pulverulentus )] in a coastal area of South Africa are compared. Both species were d iurnal. Galerella did not use dens, whereas Cynictis never rested outs ide a den. Total distance moved, home range size and density did not d iffer between the two species. Galerella frequented bush, whereas Cyni ctis frequented open fields. The yellow mongoose was more social than the grey mongoose, but the basic social structure was similar. Faeces of Cynictis were found in large clumps close to the dens, while those of Galerella were more scattered. This parallels the greater constancy of use of the sleeping sites by Cynictis. Rodents (> 90% of Cape grey mongoose diet) were much more abundant in the bush, while availabilit y of insects (main food source for the yellow mongoose) was higher in the open fields. Habitat selection, through its effects on anti-predat or and feeding strategies, might have been the leading factor in the e volution of sociality in herpestids.