Notes on the Threats to the Endemic Bengal Mongoose from the Nalban Fisheries Complex in West Bengal, India

Abstract

A lack of current data on Bengal mongoose Herpestes palustris in India inhibits the development of conservation strategies for this endemic wetland mammal. Structured interviews were conducted to assess the threats and examine the ecological importance of the Bengal mongoose in the Nalban fisheries complex in West Bengal for four months (May to August 2017). Over half of the interviewees perceived that the Bengal mongoose faces several threats and that its population has declined over the years. The respondents said that the removal of vegetation is the main reason for the declining mongoose numbers. The ecological importance of the mongoose was apparent among most interviewees. The results suggest that the endemic Bengal mongoose faces multiple anthropogenic hazards and emphasize the critical need for conservation efforts.