A litter of six banded mongoose pups was born in the African Journey on Thanksgiving Day, nearly doubling the size of our mongoose colony!  After spending their first few weeks tucked into a nest box, the pups were soon running, chirping, and playing with the seven adults in our mongoose colony. 

Native to Africa’s savannahs and grasslands, banded mongooses are champion chompers with needle-sharp teeth. They munch on insects and small animals, which are excavated from the soil using strong claws.  Bird eggs are a favorite treat.  Mongooses have a strong social bond within their colony, and often sleep together in a furry heap. 

The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is one of only four United States Zoos to exhibit the banded mongoose.