REUTERS/Jessie Cohen, photographer
One of three new banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) is photographed at the Small Mammal House exhibit at the National Zoo in Washington February 28, 2006. It has been nearly 30 years since the National Zoo exhibited this species. The National Zoo is one of only two zoos in North America that has these social African animals. Banded mongooses are found in the northern and southern African savannah-areas of semi-arid grassland, brush and rocky country. Mongooses typically live in groups of 10 to 20 members and make their dens in termite mounds. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY NO SALES NO ARCHIVES