Meerkat or mongoose?
How to tell them apart
The meerkat is a small mongoose from southern Africa.
Quick answers
They differ on 1 of the 8 quick answers: carnivore.
| Question | Meerkat | Mongoose |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Mammal | Mammal |
| Carnivore? differs | Insects only | Yes |
| Dangerous? | No | No |
| Domesticated? | No | No |
| Awake when? | Daytime | Daytime |
| Hibernates? | No | No |
| Kept as a pet? | No | No |
| Do people eat it? | No | No |
At a glance
| Question | Meerkat | Mongoose |
|---|---|---|
| Found in differs | Africa | Africa, Asia, Europe |
| Habitat differs | Desert, Scrub, Grassland | Grassland, Scrub, Forest |
| Size | Small | Small |
| Length differs | 24–35 cm (head and body) | – |
| Weight differs | 0.62–0.97 kg | – |
| Legs | 4 | 4 |
| Covered in | Fur | Fur |
| Lives differs | In mobs | In groups |
| Lives for differs | 12–14 years | 6–10 years |
| Can fly | No | No |
| Swims | No | No |
| Lays eggs | No | No |
About each
Meerkat
A small, highly social mongoose of southern Africa. Packs of up to 30 live in large burrow systems, and non-breeding members help raise the dominant pair’s pups.
Everything on the meerkat page
Mongoose
Small carnivores of Africa, Asia and southern Europe, 34 species in two subfamilies. A large introduced population lives in Hawaii.
Everything on the mongoose page
Sources
Last reviewed . The answers and notes come from each animal's own page, where every source is listed.
How each answer is decided: How we answer. More look-alikes: Side by side.