Indian Mongoose in the Americas: Not North America—Caribbean and Pacific Islands Only

The small Indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus) was never introduced to mainland North America.

Actual Introductions (1870s–1900s)

• Caribbean: Jamaica (1872), Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Cuba, St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John, Trinidad, Grenada, etc.—for rat control in sugarcane.
• Pacific: Hawaii (1883), Fiji, Mauritius, Okinawa, Okinawa, etc.
• South America: Suriname, Guyana (coastal plantations).

Why Not North America?

• Climate: Too cold in most of US/Canada for this tropical species.
• Ecological disaster: Where introduced, it devastated native birds, reptiles, amphibians—now considered one of world's worst invasive species (IUCN Top 100).
• US bans import (Lacey Act).

Current Status

Established on many Caribbean/Pacific islands. Eradication extremely difficult. Mainland US has only occasional escaped pets—no breeding populations.