Dwarf Mongoose

[Stu Bowie]

I have been away in the Kruger National Park for a few days, thus not being active on the site since Thursday. Here is one from my latest trip. These guys are very skittish, but once I turned the engine of the car off, they seemed to settle. They are about the size of a large rat. I liked the morning sun in this, showing up the coat, and little eyes. I have other images of two to three together, but for some reason, I edited this one first.

Canon 50D
100-400 L IS USM @ 400mm
1/1000
F/7.1
ISO 400

Exp Comp +0.33
Hand held from the car.

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Stuart Might go with a little less on the top for proportion and making it bigger in frame Agree on the tail and sure like that look !! Excellent !!!

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Stuart,
I like this one. The bg is not particularly attractive. Though you have used f7.1, I would have tried a higher aperture as you had sufficient shutter speed to play around. I would love to see this fellow bigger in the frame. I wish to see some more shots of this guy in different backgrounds, as we only see the big 5 most of the times. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Stu Bowie]

Thanks a lot guys.

Saby, I spent a bit of time with these guys and have others with three in the frame. Unfortunately, the BG is the same, as they are living out small burrows in the ground.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Thanks Stuart,
Actually, I would have loved a lower angle. But it seems this guy was closer to you and given that you were from your car you couldn't get a lower angle. When I was suggesting different backgrounds, I was thinking that you find them somewhere else, on a mound, on elephant dung etc. I have no idea about this species, but once I saw a mongoose raiding a nest. Some of our shots of these smaller species are more valuable than images of the big 5. Do you find them near human habitations or only in the forests?
Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Stu Bowie]

Saby, as stated above, this was taken in the Kruger National park. Im not too familiar on their habitations, but one would find them away from humans, as they are very skitish. These guys live in termite mounds, and their diet is insects, bugs, locusts, etc. I feel this was a lucky sighting, as If I was driving on the road in the opposite direction, I wouldnt have seen them, as their den was against a tree. Cheers, Stuart.

[Harshad Barve]

I think these buddies are quite skullers all over world, difficult to shoot and their habitat will never allow creamy BG, Slightly bigger frame is my point
Beautifully done
thanks for sharing

Harshad

[Steve Canuel]

Nice pose and detail in the fur, nose, and eye. Another vote for a little off the top.