Results

Thirty mongoose were captured a total of 35 times during 150 trap days from 15 to 19 March 2009 (23% trap success). Ten females and 19 males were captured alive (one male was found dead in a trap due to wild dogs). There was no statistically significant deviation from an expected 1:1 sex ratio and individuals were equally distributed across age classes (Table 1). Fleas were significantly more abundant on males (Figure 4; P = 1.32 X 10^-6), but the distribution of fleas across age classes was not statistically significant. There was no evidence of internal parasites as tested by fecal floats.

Table 1. Mongoose trapping summaries