Rain Forest Land Habitats School Site
St. Joseph's Intermediate "Exploring Land Habitats" Project
Weighing less than 1 kg (about 2 lb),the Salano is one of the smallest Mongooses. It measures 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12 in) in length, with a bushy tail of almost the same length . The body and tail are covered with reddish brown fur that has black or tan speckles. The Salano has small eyes and ears, a pointed snout, and short legs with long claws on its feet.
Like other mangoes, the Salano feeds on insects , lizards, frogs and small mammals. It is most active during the day , spending most of its time on the ground rather than in trees. The Salano takes shelter in hollow trees and burrows,living alone or in pairs. The females have two to three nipples, which suggest that their litter size is small. Young are born in the summer. Although the number of these animals has been reduced by habit destruction, the salanois not considered threatened.