What is the difference between a Cobra and a mongoose?

Answer 1

Moongoose

A mongoose is a member of the family Herpestidae(although also used for some members of Eupleridae), a family of small, cat-like carnivores. There are more than thirty species. Mongooses live in southern Asia, Africa, and southern Europe, as well as some Caribbean and Hawaiian islands, where they are introduced species. Some species of mongoose are fairly intelligent and can be taught simple tricks, which has led to a number of them being domesticated, often kept as pets to control vermin. However, they can be more destructive than desired: when imported into the West Indies to kill rats and snakes, they destroyed most of the small, ground-based fauna. For this reason, it is illegal to import most species of mongoose into the United States, Australia, and other countries. Mongooses were introduced to Hawaii in 1883, and have had a significant impact on native species. Mongoose range in size from the squirrel-sized Common Dwarf Mongoose, at 280 g (9.9 oz), to the cat-sized White-tailed Mongoose, at 4 kg (8.8 lb). Mongooses have long faces and bodies, small rounded ears, short legs, and long tapering tails. Most are brindled or grizzled; few have strongly marked coats. They have non-retractile claws that are used primarily for digging. Mongooses, much like goats, have narrow, ovular pupils. Most species have a large anal scent gland, used for scent marking of territories, and signaling reproductive status

Domestic Ferret

The ferret is a domestic mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo. Ferrets are sexually dimorphic predators with males being substantially larger than females. They typically have brown, black, white, or mixed fur, have an average length of approximately 20 inches (51 cm) including a 5 inch (13 cm) tail, weigh about 1.5 - 4 pounds (0.8 - 2 kg), and have a natural lifespan of 7 to 10 years. Several other small, elongated carnivorous mammals belonging to the family Mustelidae (weasels) also have the word "ferret" in their common names, including an endangered species, the Black-footed Ferret. Ferrets are thought to have originated in South Africa and domesticated by the Egyptians. For hundreds of years, the main use of ferrets was for hunting, or ferreting. With their long, lean build and inquisitive nature, ferrets are very well equipped for getting down holes and chasing rodents and rabbits out of their burrows. Caesar Augustus sent ferrets or mongooses (named "viverrae" by Plinius) to the Balearic Islands to control the rabbit plagues in 6 BC.They are still used for hunting in some countries, including the United Kingdom, where rabbits are considered a plague species by farmers. However, the practice is illegal in several countries where it is feared that ferrets could unbalance the ecology. Ferrets were first introduced into the New World in the 17th century, and were used extensively from 1860 until the start of World War II to protect grain stores in the American West from invading rodents. Being so closely related to polecats, ferrets are quite easily able to hybridize with them, and this has occasionally resulted in feral colonies of ferret polecat hybrids that have been perceived to have caused damage to native fauna, perhaps most notably in New Zealand. As a result, some parts of the world have imposed restrictions on the keeping of ferrets. Ferrets that are not descented can release their anal gland secretions when startled or scared, but the smell dissipates rapidly.

Source: Wikipedia

There is one more thing about a Mongoose that is good to know. In a fight to the death, a sober Mongoose can easily kick a Cobra's Tail and KILL it. Their reflexes are quicker than the Cobra's. Cobra's have fuzzy vision at close range and strike at just about any moving object it its Vision Path; maybe that's how and why Mongooses win, every time; the snake needs glasses.

Answer 2

Only distantly. Ferrets are members of the Weasel family, which is part of the Order Carnivora. Mongooses are part of the same Order, but have their own family, called Herpestidae.

Answer 3

A mongoose can and will eat a cobra. a mongoose looks sort of like a cat. A cobra is a snake.