Karura Forest #41: Cute Carnivore
The cache, a small cylindrical camo-pot, is hidden in a hole in the base of an old short stump, just off the trail, near the junction of the main trail with a smaller trail heading north.
To access the cache:
From main gate A (Limuru Rd) @ S01 14.829 E36 48.948, after paying your entry and parking fees, proceed the 1.2km or so to the junction by the barrier at S01 14.447 E36 49.148. Turn right here, continue past the new River Cafe to the extensive Amani Garden parking area @ S01 14.577 E36 49.235. From here take the exit gate at S01 14.594 E36 49.191 which gives access to a small trail crossing an open grassy area to join the Lake Trail heading east from Junction 5. Turn left (east) and follow this trail to the cache location.
See GC6EG59 Karura Forest #40: Graceful Scavenger for waypoints.
For background information on Karura Forest including access, fees, opening times, features, a detailed trail map and useful links, see GC4PD3V Karura Forest #1: Intro, Info & Entry.
As you explore the forest trails, keep your eyes out for Africa's smallest carnivore crossing the trail ahead of you - the Dwarf Mongoose (Helogale 
parvula). The species can be distinguished from other mongooses by its much smaller size (18-28cm, 210-350g). The soft fur is very variable in colour, ranging from yellowish red to very dark brown.
It is found up to 2,000 m from East to southern Central Africa, from Eritrea and Ethiopia to the Transvaal in South Africa (see range map in Gallery). It inhabits mainly dry grassland, open forests, and bush land. It is especially common in areas with many termite mounds, their favourite sleeping place, but avoids dense forests and deserts. It can also be found near settlements and can become quite tame. Its diet consists of insects (mainly beetle larvae, termites, grasshoppers & crickets, spiders, and scorpions) small lizards, snakes, small birds and rodents sometimes supplemented with berries.
It is a diurnal highly gregarious animal that lives in extended family groups (troops or colonies) of 8-30 and can live up to 8 years. They are also very vocal, communicating with each other continuously with a wide range of twitters and whistles as they scuttle about looking for food. Members of the troop use their incisor teeth to groom either each other or themselves. They seldom move out of their holes until the sun is well up, retire to their burrows before sunset and are not seen in cold, rainy or overcast weather.
A strict hierarchy exists among same-sexed animals within a group, headed by the dominant pair (normally the oldest group members). All group members cooperate in helping to rear the pups and in guarding the group from predators.
Young mongooses are sexually maturity by one year old but delay dispersal, with males usually emigrating (with their brothers) at 2-3 years old. They males may join other established groups, either as subordinates or by ousting the resident males, or may form new groups with unrelated dispersing females. In contrast, females normally remain in their home group for life, queuing for the dominant position. They will, however, emigrate to found a new group if they lose their place in the hierarchy to a younger sister.
Dwarf mongooses are territorial, and each group uses an area of approximately 30-60 hectares (depending on the type of habitat). They sleep at night in disused termite mounds, although they occasionally use piles of stones, hollow trees, etc. They mark their territory with anal gland and cheek gland secretions and latrines. Territories often overlap slightly, which can lead to confrontations between different groups, with the larger group tending to win.
They usually breed during the wet season (October-April) raising up to 3 litters. Usually only the 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 53 day gestation, 4-6 pups are born. They remain below ground within a termite mound for the first 2-3 weeks. Normally 1-2 group members stay behind to babysit while the group goes foraging. Subordinate females often produce milk to feed the dominant female's pups. At 4 weeks old the pups begin accompanying the group. All group members help to provide them with prey items until they are around 10 weeks old.
A mutually beneficial relationship has evolved between dwarf mongooses and hornbills. The hornbills seek out mongooses so that they can forage together, and warn each other of nearby raptors and other predators.
See here and here for here (mongoose communication research) for fascinating short videos on dwarf mongoose life.