Abstract
The Small Indian Mongoose Urva auropunctata (Hodgson 1836) is a small carnivore native to Iraq and South Asia; however, it has been widely introduced worldwide. The species has never been reported in Syria; however, it was suspected to occur in the extreme eastern parts of the country, but no confirmed records were made. In 2021–2022, several sightings were notified during in situ surveys in Deir ez-Zor Province in eastern Syria which confirm the first occurrence of the Small Indian Mongoose in the country.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank Salim Al-Ashaab, Suleiman Kharouf, Fadi Awaid, and Asmr Albhr for their detailed information and photographs of the Small Indian Mongoose in Deir ez-Zor Province in eastern Syria, which we included in this note with their kind permission.
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Author contributions: All authors have directly participated in conceptualization, designing, in situ data collecting, reviewing, and writing of this manuscript.
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Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest regarding this article.
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Research funding: No funding was received to assist with the preparation of this manuscript.
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Research ethics: Not applicable; no wildlife specimens were used.
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