Rare bonhomie between a man and a mongoose

Mongooses, usually, do not like human presence and in most cases escape from the spot when they encounter humans. However, the mongoose at the house of Gafoor is not just friendly with his family members but is also a playmate for children from the neighborhood.

Kozhikode(Kerala): A tale of a rare friendship between Abdul Gafoor and a mongoose is extraordinary in the Tamarassery in Kozhikode of Kerala. Mongooses, usually, do not like human presence and in most cases escape from the spot when they encounter humans. However, the mongoose at the house of Gafoor is not just friendly with his family members but is also a playmate for children from the neighborhood.

Gafoor found the mongoose along with its two dead siblings. The pup was scared and wasn't ready for human interaction and often panicked considering human presence as a threat. However, it soon became friendly with him and his family members as he started feeding him milk and meat. Now, the mongoose follows Gafoor wherever he goes and plays with him all the time.

The mongoose accompanies him to his shop and many people queue up to take his picture with this lovely animal. When the story of Gafoor and the mongoose got the attention of the forest officials, they contacted Gafoor. "They told me not to illtreat the animal and said if it attacks someone, it should be immediately taken to the forest officials. That is how I am allowed to keep it," Gafoor says. Many had offered good money with the hope to buy this mongoose, but Gafoor did not sell it.

Talking to ETV Bharat Abdul Gafoor said, "I got it around two and a half months back. First, there were three pups altogether. My wife told me about it. I reached home at night and the next day morning I went and checked it out. One pup was already killed by a cat and I could not see the third one. I saw this one and I brought the mongoose home and bathed it. Later, fed the pup some milk. First, it was not ready to accept the human presence and was trying to bite me. For 10 days, we kept it in a cage to save it from the cats. We started feeding him meat about 15 days later and it became friendly with us. If I go to bed, it would also come and lie with us and will nibble on my ears. He also accompanies me to the market."

"Many of my friends had offered more than Rs 20,000 for the mongoose but no one can buy a mongoose with money. It's the love and care that one needs to get a mongoose attracted. We should care for these pups before the completion of one week from birth. Once they are grown they do not prefer human presence. I had gone to the forest office. They first asked me to bring it in a box to them. But when I told them it is big now, they told me to inform them if it harms anyone. It does not harm anyone. He is very friendly with my family members and also with children from neighboring homes and plays with all of them."