mongooses
Ferret-like cobra killers
Mongooses is the standard plural of mongoose, a small carnivorous mammal native to Africa and Asia, known for its agility and ability to kill venomous snakes.
The word comes from a Dravidian language, not from goose, so the plural follows regular English rules rather than becoming "mongeese." Mongooses were introduced to Hawaii to control rats.
Pursuer of prey
- pouncerOne who leaps suddenly
- strikerOne who hits targets
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
- stalkPlant's vertical support
prey · rodents · insects · eggs · forager · opportunistic · carnivore · insectivore
Thin and graceful
- litheSupple and graceful
- sleekSmooth and elegant
- streamlinedMade smooth and efficient
- wiryThin and muscular
agile · furry · whiskered · snout · tail · claws · paws · fangs
Animal's dug dwelling
- denPrivate room or lair
- savannaTropical grassland, sparse trees
- grasslandTreeless herb-covered ecosystem
- scrublandArea of low shrubs
Africa · Asia · India · tropical · rocky · underground · warren · tunnels
hunter
Pursuer of prey
stalk · prey · rodents · insects · eggs · forager · opportunistic · carnivore · insectivore · kill
slender
Thin and graceful
- litheSupple and graceful
- sleekSmooth and elegant
- streamlinedMade smooth and efficient
wiry · agile · furry · whiskered · snout · tail · claws · paws · fangs · pointed
burrow
Animal's dug dwelling
- denPrivate room or lair
- savannaTropical grassland, sparse trees
- grasslandTreeless herb-covered ecosystem
scrubland · Africa · Asia · India · tropical · rocky · underground · warren · tunnels · arid
alert
Warning or watchfulness
bold · fearless · territorial · burrowing · digging · foraging · diurnal · darting · scurrying · inquisitive
mob
Disorderly, aggressive crowd
- packGroup or compress
- colonyDependent territorial settlement
- cooperativeJointly operated enterprise
grooming · kinship · hierarchy · sentinel · lookout · communal · breeding · helpers · pups · family
- carnivoransdogs, cats, wolves, foxes, bears
- wildlifewhite-tailed deer, birds, mammals, elephant, reptiles
- African wildlifeelephant, African elephant, lion, hippo, elephants
- island wildlifemarine iguana, Darwin's finches, Galapagos tortoise, giant tortoise, giant tortoises
- insectivoresshrew, anteaters, ant-eaters, hedgehog, echidnas
mongoosescobras
Hooded venomous snakes
snakes · venomous snakes · king cobras · vipers · serpents