🦦 Simon says: Meet the Egyptian Mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon)

The Egyptian Mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon)

Fast as lightening when disturbed, the Egyptian mongoose is one of Israel’s most fascinating wild mammals. 🐾

🌍 In Israel, it roams across the coastal plains, Galilee, Carmel & Jordan Valley, thriving near watercourses, reedbeds & scrubland. It prefers areas rich in cover where it can move unseen, often close to farmland or woodland edges.

🍽️ It feeds on rodents, snakes, birds’ eggs, frogs, insects & fruit. It can raid hunt venomous snakes, making it one of nature’s finest pest-controllers. Sadly a mongoose attacked one of our neighbours' chickens a couple of months ago, leaving only one alive.

🦅 The mongoose has few natural enemies in Israel; large raptors & wild dogs pose some danger, but habitat loss & road accidents are its greatest threats today.

🌿 In ancient Egypt, it was revered for its snake-hunting skill & often linked to solar deities; a symbol of light conquering darkness. Its Hebrew name, נמייה מצרית (Nemiya Mitzrit), reflects both its origin & its place in Middle Eastern nature.

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At Imagine Israel Tours we love to notice not just the big moments of history, but also the small details of nature that make Israel unique.

I’m a licensed tour guide with experience driving & guiding all over Israel in a comfortable 7-seater vehicle & I’m an accredited tour guide for Israel’s National Parks.

I’ve also been certified as the Amazon Tour Guide for online virtual tours in the North of Israel - as well as being a guide for cruise ship passengers coming into Haifa & Ashdod.

My price includes collection from and return to your location, snacks, water & a unique souvenir of your tour.

My TripAdvisor reviews https://shorturl.at/aIR47

Please don't hesitate to be in touch imagineisrael8@gmail.com, or by phone/WhatsApp +972 54 2390412 if I can help plan your visit.

photo credit: Revital9 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)