Dwarf mongooses are small mongooses from savannas, grasslands, open woodlands, and scrub of east Africa. They are most common in areas with termite mounds. They are diurnal animals that live in large extended families. Only the dominant pair breeds, the others help to raise the young. Males leave the group a few years after reaching maturity, often in the company of their brothers, and look to join or take over other groups. Dwarf mongooses mostly eat insects and other arthropods, but will also eat small lizards, birds, and rodents. On occasion they will also eat berries. These mongooses are known to forage in association with hornbill birds, so the keen hearing and smell of the mongoose and the sharp eyesight of the bird can both be used to detect predators.