Fun Falanouc Facts For Kids

The falanouc is a type of mammal related to the mongoose. These animals are endemic to the forests of Madagascar and they are carnivores but their diet almost exclusively consists of invertebrates. They are very shy and they can be fawn, brown, or gray. They have long claws and insectivorous teeth.

There are two species of falanoucs found in the wild: the eastern falanouc and the western falanouc. The eastern falanouc is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red list while the western falanouc is listed as Endangered. The reasons for their low population are hunting, habitat loss, and attacks by dogs. Read the article if you want to know more about these amazing, rare animals.

If you want to read more animal articles, please check out our dwarf mongoose and American marten facts too!

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What type of animal is a falanouc?

The falanouc (Eupleres goudotii) is a mongoose-like mammal endemic to Madagascar. There are broadly two types of falanouc: the eastern falanouc and the western falanouc.

What class of animal does a falanouc belong to?

Falanoucs belong to the Mammalia class of the Animalia kingdom.

How many falanoucs are there in the world?

The exact number of falanoucs in the world is unknown. However, they are listed as Near-Threatened and Endangered in the IUCN Red List. The reason behind this is that these animals are not abundant in numbers, western falanoucs in particular are very rare. The reason behind these animals being endangered lies in hunting, poaching, and habitat loss.

Where does a falanouc live?

Falanoucs are exclusively found in Madagascar. This animal might be related to the mongoose but they are not the same species.

What is a falanouc's habitat?

The falanouc is endemic to Madagascar and can be found in coastal forests in eastern and northwestern Madagascar. This animal is found in damp and humid rainforests and lowland forests.

Who do falanoucs live with?

Not many details are available about falanoucs, but a group of them is a rare sight. Mostly they have been seen living alone in the wild.

How long does a falanouc live?

The information about their lifespan in the wild is unavailable. But this species can live for about 20 years in captivity.

How do they reproduce?

The mating season for falanoucs is from July to August. They are mammals and they reproduce through mating. After mating, the gestation period lasts for five to six months. The mother usually gives birth to either one or two young and these babies can usually walk within two days of being born.

What is their conservation status?

Falanoucs are listed as Endangered and Near Threatened in the IUCN Red List. The western falanouc is rarer than the eastern falanouc. This is mostly because of illegal hunting and poaching. However, since they are endemic to only Madagascar, it is hard for this species to increase their numbers.

What do falanoucs look like?

The falanouc is a wild mammal found solely in the rainforests of Madagascar. They belong to the mongoose family and are related to mongeese, but they are not a mongoose species themselves. They are usually fawn, brown, or gray in color. Females usually are more grayish while males are brown. The average length of an adult falanouc's body is about 17-26 in (45-65 cm) and the average length of their tail is about 8-10 in (22-25 cm). They are carnivores but have teeth like insectivores, mostly because their diet consists of invertebrates. They also have long, non-retractable claws that they use to dig in the soil to find worms. They can also be used in self-defense. Two species of falanouc can be found in the wild, they are the eastern and the western falanouc.

* Please note that this is an image of a fossa, not a falanouc. If you have an image of a falanouc, please let us know at [email protected]

How cute are they?

They are a small species of mongoose-like animals. They are pretty cute but also very shy.

How do they communicate?

Not much data can be found on the communication of falanoucs but we know that they are rare, solitary animals. They are territorial and they mark their territories through scent. They are also nocturnal animals (probably) and like hunting at night.

How big is a falanouc?

The average length of an adult falanouc's body is about 17-26 in (45-65 cm). The length of their tail is about 8-10 in (22-25 cm). They are mongoose-like carnivores that are found in the rainforests of Madagascar.

How fast can a falanouc run?

The exact speed of falanoucs is unknown. However, agility is one of the traits of all mongoose-like creatures, so it can be said that they can run pretty fast.

How much does a falanouc weigh?

The average weight of adult falanoucs is about 3.5-10 lb (1.5-4.5 kg).

What are their male and female names of the species?

There is no specific name for males and females of the species. They are simply called male falanoucs and female falanoucs.

What would you call a baby falanouc?

There is no specific name for babies of the falanouc species. They are just called baby falanoucs.

What do they eat?

The food eaten by wild falanoucs almost exclusively consists of invertebrate prey. They are carnivores and the falanouc is also a nocturnal animal meaning that they hunt for prey at night. They have typically insectivorous teeth and an elongated snout that helps them hunt invertebrates like slugs, worms, and snails. They also have long claws, with the help of which, they dig up their food from the soil.

Are they aggressive?

Falanoucs are not known to be aggressive. Even in the wild, when threatened, they mostly use their claws to protect themselves and not their teeth. Also, even though they are carnivores, their diet mostly includes invertebrates like snails, slugs, and worms. However, the animal is also solitary and can be very territorial. They usually mark their territories with scent.

Would they make a good pet?

Falanoucs are an extremely rare species of carnivores found only in Madagascar. People are not allowed to have them as pets as their numbers are ever decreasing in the wild.

Did you know...

Falanoucs do not have any anal or perianal glands.

Their closest relative is the fanaloca, a type of striped civet found in Madagascar.

Unlike most mongeese and civets, falanoucs do not have any marks or stripes on their bodies.

How does the falanouc defend itself?

Falanoucs are very shy animals who do not attack first, but they have specialized teeth that they use to eat their food. They also have non-retractable claws that they use to dig. Both their claws and teeth can be used in self-defense if they are threatened. They are also very territorial, solitary animals and use their scent to mark their territory.

Different types of falanouc

Up until 2010, it was believed that there was only one type of falanouc. However, it has been discovered recently that there are two subspecies of this animal. The two major subspecies that are found are the eastern falanouc and the western falanouc. Western falanoucs were found later and are much rarer than their counterparts.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these small Indian mongoose facts and ferret facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable falanouc coloring pages.

* Please note that this is an image of a civet, not a falanouc. If you have an image of a falanouc, please let us know at [email protected]