The Crab-eating Mongoose (Herpestes urva) is a nocturnal animal eating small mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects. It is aquatic in habit, hunting along stream banks, feeling under stones, and in rock crevices.
It has a length of 450-500 mm, and tail of 250-300 mm. The Mongoose weighs 1.8 - 2.3 kg. A stripe of white contour hair extends from the corner of the mouth to the shoulder. The hind foot is hairy nearly down to the hallux. The color of the upper side varies from black and white to dusky iron grey. The vague under fur is dark brown at the base and pale brownish yellow at the tip. The litter size is small, possibly two. The crab-eating mongoose is seen in West Bengal, and Assam.
