Lisa Mastaler, age 7, of Gastonia, N.C.,for her question:

WHAT IS THE FAMILY OF THE MONGOOSE?

There are 48 mongoose species, and their family name is Viverridae  which means the ferret type animals. However, they are not related to the ferret, or weasel, family. The average mongoose looks somewhat like a large squirrel, though he certainly is not a gentle squirrel.  

His cousins include the civets and the spotted genets. All these furry mammals of Asia and Africa belong in the family Viverridae. All of them are meat eaters and very fast, clever hunters.