There are about 30 different species, almost all native to Africa.
Mongooses typically have a pointed head, a long tail, and thick hair except on the lower legs.
They are commonly terrestrial, diurnal, and solitary. Mongooses feed on a wide variety of foods, including small mammals, reptiles, birds' eggs, and insects. The Indian gray mongoose, H. edwardsi, which may grow to 20 inches long plus a 16 inch tail, and weigh about 5 pounds, is the one portrayed in Kipling's Jungle Book. Mongooses of this genus are famous for their snake-fighting ability and are often portrayed fighting a cobra. Research has shown that although the mongoose is tolerant of small dosages of cobra venom, it is not immune to it.