Short-tailed mongoose

The short-tailed mongoose (Urva brachyura) is a mongoose species native to Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo. It inhabits evergreen forest and rural gardens from sea level to an elevation of 1500 m. It is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List since 2008.

It was first described by John Edward Gray in 1837.

It is red-brown to black and has black limbs. The head is grayish with a black spot on the chin. Its total body length is 60-65 cm including a 25 cm short tail. It weighs about 1.4 kg.

Subspecies

 * U. b. brachyura
 * U. b. hosei (by some considered a species, Hose's mongoose Herpestes hosei)
 * U. b. javanensis
 * U. b. palawanus
 * U. b. parvus
 * U. b. sumatrius