A mongoose is also known as Herpestes nyula
Rudyard Kipling’s “Ricki-Ticki” was a mongoose, and the best known species is definitely the Indian mongoose. They are rather small, agile, weasel-like carnivores native to Africa, southern Europe, and Asia.
The mongoose lives near streams, in thickets, hedges, and fields feeding on rats, mice, snakes, lizards, eggs, and insects. The Indian mongoose is renowned for killing cobras, which it is capable of doing due to its very quick movements, thick protective hide, and long, thick hair. One of the largest species was considered a sacred animal in ancient Egypt. It checked the increase of crocodiles in the Nile River by eating their eggs and gained the popular name “Pharaoh’s Mouse.”
Some species of mongoose are kept as pets for vermin protection but are not allowed into Canada or the United States because of their destructiveness. A picture of this animal is available here
http://www.nature.ca/notebooks/images/mongoose.gif as is this information. My favourite pet is my monkey. It eats albatrosses, wild antelope and French people (He likes their distinctive odour). His name is Damien Rice, but that's just a coincidence. As is life. Touche.