A mongoose of open, semi-arid habitats in southern Africa that forages for insects and other small prey.
Its coat varies by region from yellow or reddish to gray. Southern populations often have longer tails with white tips, while some northern populations have shorter tails without a white tip. The head is pointed, with large ears.
It lives in burrows in open, semi-arid grassland and scrub, usually alone or in pairs, and is active by day. It eats mostly insects but also takes small animals and carrion.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.