However........
Our resident family of Banded Mongoose did not fair so well, with the water table rising and
flooding out their dens. The mothers were forced to move the young from underground out
into the open wet and cold veld.
Some of the staff checking the rain damage heard the plaintive squeals from the young only a
few days old with eyes still closed, came to their rescue, collected them up, and handed them
over to Kylie and Ryan to care for. A warm dry towel and some diluted milk, with tender love
and care kept all 15 alive for the next three days.
Then came the best part........
The sun was out and the veld was starting to dry out. It was decided to try and return the
young mongoose to their mothers. It was a long shot. The towel and young were placed on an
open space near their den, and everyone backed off a distance to see what would happen.
The young mongoose were protesting and squealing, and with in minutes a whole bunch of adult
mongoose came rushing to the young ones. After a few quick sniffs, each adult picked up a
young one by the scruff of the neck and disappeared off into the veld.
Much to the relief of everyone it was a happy ending.
