Marsh mongoose

The marsh mongoose or water mongoose is a medium-sized mammal, though large for a mongoose. Its weight can range from 2 to 5.5 kg , with an average range of 2.5 to 4.1 kg . From the head to the base of the tail, these animals range from 44 to 62 cm , with the tail adding 25–36 cm . It is a member of the mongoose family and the only member of its genus. ''Atilax paludinosus'' is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa, with a preference for permanent freshwater habitats bordered by dense vegetation, such as marshes, reed beds, and estuaries . The marsh mongoose is an important member of the community of animals inhabiting the papyrus swamps, where deoxygenated water limits aquatic life to various air-breathing fish, frogs, insect larvae, snails, and mammals.