Mongooses

"Coach the mongooses on their bites. .."

- Zazu, Can't Wait to be Queen

Mongooses are animals that appear in The Lion Guard universe. They live in the Pride Lands.

In the Real World
Mongooses are small animals with long bodies and faces. They tails are long and tapering, and their ears are short and round. Their pupils are ovular, and their eyes range in color, including amber, red, golden, and brown. Banded mongooses are sturdy mongooses with grayish brown fur.

In The Lion Guard
The mongooses in the show look to be banded mongooses. They have brown fur with 3-6 dark stripes on their back, dark paws, and a dark tail tip. Their noses are red, and their eyes are brown. They have long, slender bodies, and the fur on their head always sticks up slightly and points back. Unlike real mongooses, the tails of mongooses in the show taper at the anterior end rather than the posterior end.

In the Real World
Banded mongooses live in groups consisting of an average 20 individuals of both sexes. Most of their diet consists of small animals such as beetles, lizards, and birds. Though they forage in groups, they do not feed cooperatively, and each group members finds their own meal. Occasionally, they will fight over food, but usually the first mongoose to find food earns it for them self. At night, mongooses sleep in dens, which usually are in the form of termitaria, and change every few days. These dens are usually located in open thicket and have many entrances to compensate for the large number of group members.

In The Lion Guard
It is noted that one of the king's duties is to coach the mongooses on their bites.

Bunga the Wise
A mongoose waits in line at Hakuna Matata Falls to receive advice from Bunga the Wise. He gossips about Bunga with several other Pridelanders. Timon, Pumbaa, and Bunga begin to sing Bunga the Wise, and at one point in the song, the trio crowds around the mongoose and Bunga pulls his face into a smile. He soon joins in the singing of the song. Once Timon calls things back to order, the mongoose is first in line to see Bunga. He gives Timon a bug, which Timon appreciates, but before the mongoose can go see Bunga, the rest of the Lion Guard step in, wanting to talk to Bunga. The mongoose retreats back to the line. Later, the same mongoose is among those singing Make Way for Bunga the Wise as Bunga leads them through the Pride Lands. When Kion stops them and declares that Bunga's bad advice is causing difficulties, the mongoose protests, declaring that Rafiki said that Bunga was smart. Suddenly, a dam holding Lake Kaziwa back breaks apart, causing the waters to flood over the Pride Lands. The mongoose flees, and once the flood calms, he is seen perched peacefully on a rock.

Can't Wait to be Queen
In the song Duties of the King, Zazu remarks that one of the king's duties is coaching mongooses on their bites. Simba snaps his teeth together, and five mongooses imitate him.

The Kupatana Celebration
In the song Jackal Style, a moogoose faces off with Dogo over a kiwano melon. Rairai approaches and pulls her son's face into a smile, causing the mongoose to smile back. Rairai then slyly slips the fruit over to her son, who rushes off with it, causing the mongoose to frown. A mongoose, presumably the same one that Rairai tricks, is among those surrounding the jackals at the end of the song. At least one mongoose is present at the Kupatana Celebration. When Rairai's pack attacks, they listen alertly as Simba gives the Pridelanders instructions. They are among those who surround the jackal pups who have been thrown into a pile by the Lion Guard.

Follow That Hippo!
A young mongoose named Shauku and his friends accidentally trick everyone into thinking that there has been a real hyena attack whilst pretending to by members of the Lion Guard. The Guard arrives and reveals that there actually are hyenas loose in the Pridelanders, and warn Shauku and the others against playing their game. Shauku is excited when Mtoto presents the idea that the real Lion Guard play their game with them, but Kion declines. Later, Shauku and his friends are playing their game when they are attacked by Janja, Cheezi, and Chungu. With the help of his friend Kwato, Shauku escapes, as do all of his friends spare Mtoto. Together, the remaining four go warn Beshte, who saves Mtoto. Kion gives Mtoto a muddy Mark of the Guard, and Shauku jumps up and down eagerly, asking to be next.