Wildlifeof Thailand
Crab-eating Mongoose
Herpestidae
Photo: Rejoice Gassah · CC-BY (May be cropped or resized)
Urva urva
Basic stats
Diet
Crabs, frogs, fish, rodents, reptiles and insects
Habitat
Forest and scrub near streams, marshes and rice fields
Range
Himalayan foothills through southern China and mainland Southeast Asia
The crab-eating mongoose is a sturdy grey-brown mongoose with a white stripe along each side of the neck, a grizzled coat and a relatively short tail. The common name reflects frequent feeding in wet places rather than an exclusive dependence on crabs (Mammal Diversity Database; regional mammal accounts).
It ranges from Himalayan foothills through southern China and mainland Southeast Asia. Forest and scrub near streams, marshes and rice fields provide crabs, frogs, fish, rodents, reptiles and insects. It is generally terrestrial and often active around dawn, dusk or night (species-level ecological studies; IUCN assessment). It is Nationally Vulnerable (Thailand Red Data 2025).
Quick answers
- What does the Crab-eating Mongoose eat?
- Crabs, frogs, fish, rodents, reptiles and insects
- What habitat does the Crab-eating Mongoose live in?
- Forest and scrub near streams, marshes and rice fields
- Where is the Crab-eating Mongoose found?
- Himalayan foothills through southern China and mainland Southeast Asia