Northern Cape
Kgalagadi · Ai-Ais/Richtersveld · Mokala
Self-drive
Stays in Northern CapeWhere to see
Where to see the Yellow Mongoose in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Yellow Mongoose at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Marakele National Park.
Cynictis penicillata · Least Concern
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Yellow Mongoose
Hosts have recorded the Yellow Mongoose at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Marakele National Park.
When to go, park by park
Here all yearEasiest viewing
| Park | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| uKhahlamba-Drakensberg | Here | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here |
| Kgalagadi | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing |
Darker months are each park's own best season, when thinner bush or scarce water makes viewing easier. A sighting is never guaranteed.
Where to base yourself
- Northern Cape
KwaZulu-Natal
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg · Giants Castle · Kamberg
KwaZulu-NatalSelf-driveStays in KwaZulu-Natal
Limpopo
Marakele
LimpopoBig FiveSelf-driveStays in Limpopo
Western Cape
De Hoop · Karoo
Western CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Western Cape
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
IUCN Red List
Least Concern
Species
Cynictis penicillata
Records
1,963
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Yellow Mongoose on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Yellow Mongoose in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Yellow Mongoose at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Marakele National Park, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park and Golden Gate Highlands National Park and other reserves. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Yellow Mongoose in South Africa?
The Yellow Mongoose is most recorded in Eastern Cape (28% of records), Northern Cape (22% of records), Gauteng (19% of records), based on 1,963 iNaturalist observations. 43 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Yellow Mongoose on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Yellow Mongoose?
The Yellow Mongoose is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Marakele National Park: May-Sep, dry season; De Hoop Nature Reserve: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the conservation status of the Yellow Mongoose?
The Yellow Mongoose (Cynictis penicillata) is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Yellow Mongoose?
The yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata), sometimes referred to as the red meerkat, is a member of the mongoose family averaging about 1 lb (1/2 kg) in weight and about 20 in (500 mm) in length. It lives in open country, from semi-desert scrubland to grasslands in Angola, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Yellow Mongoose
Every stay on the Yellow Mongoose page lists the species its host has recorded on or near the property. A record is a sighting, never a promise.
See where to stay