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The common dwarf mongoose ranges from [[East Africa|East]] to southern [[Central Africa]], from [[Eritrea]] and [[Ethiopia]] to the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in the Republic of South Africa. It inhabits primarily dry [[grassland]], open forests and [[bushland]] up to an elevation of {{cvt|2000|m}}. It is especially common in areas with many [[termite]] mounds, its favorite sleeping place. It avoids dense forests and deserts.{{cn|date=November 2021}}
The common dwarf mongoose is important in the ecosystem as a seed disperser and a predator of pests.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Hirsch, B.T. |name-list-style=amp |author2=Prange, S. |year=2007 |title=Feeding ecology of the dwarf mongoose (''Helogale parvula'') in the Serengeti ecosystem |journal=Journal of Mammalogy |volume=88 |issue=3 |pages=
==Subspecies==
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Dwarf mongooses tend to breed during the wet season, between October and April, raising up to three litters. Usually only the group's dominant female becomes pregnant, and she is responsible for 80% of the pups reared by the group. If conditions are good, subordinate females may also become pregnant, but their pups rarely survive. After the gestation period of 53 days, 4-6 young are born. They remain below ground within a termite mound for the first 2–3 weeks. Normally one or more members of the group stay behind to babysit while the group goes foraging. Subordinate females often produce milk to feed the dominant female's pups. At 4 weeks of age the pups begin accompanying the group. All group members help to provide them with prey items until they are around 10 weeks old.
A [[Mutualism (biology)|mutualistic relationship]] has evolved between the dwarf mongoose and [[hornbill]]s, in which hornbills seek out the mongooses in order for the two species to forage together, and to warn each other of nearby [[birds of prey]] and other predators.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Rasa, A.O.E. |year=1983 |title=Dwarf mongoose and hornbill mutualism in the Taru desert, Kenya |journal=Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology |volume=12 |issue=3 |pages=181–190 |doi=10.1007/BF00290770 |jstor=4599578 |s2cid=22367357 |url=}}</ref>
===Diet===
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