Author(s) :

Alain Nsundi Biota, Willy Swana Lusasi, Odon Konfir Mbwe, Réné Valu Gizanga, Victor Kiamfu Pwema, Emmanuel Makaly Biey.

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Abstract :

Habitat destruction and the indiscriminate and regular hunting of Mungos mungo for food are leading to its depletion and extinction in the wild, making it necessary to manage its diet in order to domesticate it and ensure its long-term survival.The aim of this study is to investigate the diet of Mungos mungo in captivity in order to propose its domestication under the eco-climatic conditions of the city-province of Kinshasa, DR Congo.Sixteen (16) young Mungos mungo comprising 9 males and 7 females, the offspring of parent animals captured in the savannah ecosystem at Kimpese (Kongo Central) were studied for 15 months at the experimental garden of the Life Sciences Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Kinshasa, whilst housed in metal cages. The mongooses were offered a variety of diets, including the fruits of wild and cultivated plants, restaurant scraps, invertebrates, poultry, agri-food by-products and certain small mammals.The survival rate was 81.25 per cent (18.75 per cent mortality). Terrestrial invertebrates (giant snails, crickets, grasshoppers and earthworms) were the most readily consumed, followed by restaurant leftovers and fruit. Agro-industrial products were less readily consumed. The growth of young Mungos mungo increased from 11 cm to 37 cm and from 60 g to 625 g over four months Mungos mungo adapted well to the captive breeding environment by accepting diets comprising agricultural by-products, restaurant scraps, invertebrates and wild fruit, demonstrating its adaptability to domestication.

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