The small Indian mongoose, Herpestes auropunctatus, was first introduced into the West Indies in the 1870s and to the Hawaiian Islands in the 1880s. It was brought to Hawaii in an attempt to control rats in the sugarcane plantations. Mongooses have long bodies, short legs and small rounded ears placed on the side of the head. Their tails average half to three-quarters their body length.
Males are slightly larger than females.
Mongooses have a large anal sac containing at least two glandular openings. Scent marking with anal and sometimes cheek glands can communicate the sex, sexual receptivity, and individual and pack identity of the marker. The structure of the teeth and feet reflect the diet. The small Indian mongoose has well-developed carnassial teeth used to shear flesh. Their feet have four or five digits each tipped by long, non-retractile claws adapted for digging.