Ethiopian dwarf mongoose

Ethiopian dwarf mongoose
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Suborder:	Feliformia
Family:	Herpestidae
Genus:	Helogale
Species:	H. hirtula
Binomial name
Helogale hirtula Thomas, 1904
Ethiopian dwarf mongoose range

The Ethiopian dwarf mongoose (Helogale hirtula), also known as the desert dwarf mongoose or Somali dwarf mongoose, is a mongoose native to East Africa, particularly Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.^[1]

The Ethiopian dwarf mongoose sends out warning calls to its family if a predator is detected. It also produces general alarm calls when danger is not present. These calls have different pitches which indicate different levels of urgency for the family, could convey the predator's species, distance and elevation to the family all through alarm calls.^[2]

Subspecies

• Helogale hirtula hirtula
• Helogale hirtula ahlselli
• Helogale hirtula annulata
• Helogale hirtula lutescens
• Helogale hirtula powelli

References

1. Do Linh San, E.; Hoffmann, M. (2015). "Helogale hirtula". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T41608A45206437. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T41608A45206437.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
2. Collier, K.; Radford, A.N.; Townsend, S.W.; Manser, M.B. (2017). "Wild dwarf mongoose produce general alert and predator-specific alarm calls". Behavioral Ecology. 28 (5): 1293–1301. doi:10.1093/beheco/arx091. hdl:1983/fabf0dc0-ce48-4875-a871-ac8ce0d79b99.