The stripe-necked mongoose has been recorded in deciduous and evergreen forest, swampy clearings, plantations, open scrub and along watercourses (Webb-Peploe 1947, Van Rompaey and Jayakumar 2003). In deciduous forests it is usually found in swampy clearings, along watercourses, and in open scrub (Krishnan 1972) as well as in rice fields. Of 11 sightings in a protected area, seven were in dry deciduous forest, three in moist deciduous forest, and one in a teak plantation (R. Arumugam, in litt 2003). In Valprai in the Anamalai Hills, there were a dozen sightings between April and December of 2002, with animals seen foraging along streams in riverine forests and swamps, and also in tea plantations (Mudappa, D. pers. comm.). In Sri Lanka, its distribution may encompass lowland dry zone forest and it is rarely sighted in disturbed areas or close to human settlements (Ratnayeke pers. comm.), however, the species is adaptable and can tolerate relatively high disturbance.

The stripe-necked mongoose is more common in the hills than in the lowlands (Hill 1939), and has been found up to 2,200 m (Van Rompaey and Jayakumar 2003; Mudappa pers. comm.). It is diurnal and feeds on small mammals, birds, birds' eggs, reptiles, fish, insects, grubs, and roots (Van Rompaey and Jayakumar 2003). The typical litter size is two to three and an animal in captivity was recorded as living for nearly 13 years (Van Rompaey and Jayakumar 2003).

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Population assessments for the stripe-necked mongoose have been made but these are not recent (Van Rompaey and Jayakumar 2003); nevertheless, the species appears to be relatively common in many areas of its range. In India, it is rare in the northern part of its range, and most abundant in Travancore (Jerdon 1874). It is also common on the Nilghiri and Palni plateaus (Anonymous 1935), in the High Wavy Mountains (Hutton 1949), and on the Valparai Plateau in the Anamalai Hills (D. Mudappa pers. comm.). It is not uncommon in Coorg, although less common than Herpestes edwardsii (Van Rompaey and Jayakumar 2003). In Sri Lanka, it used to be fairly common in the higher hills of the Central Provinces, but seems to be declining (Van Rompaey and Jayakumar 2003). It is relatively common in the Sri Lankan interior (Blyth 1851) and is "moderately plentiful" in the Horton Plains area and around Gamaduwa (Van Rompaey and Jayakumar 2003). The species is not uncommon in the low-country Dry Zone along the banks of the Menik Ganga (Van Rompaey and Jayakumar 2003), and is present, but not common, in the Wet Zone in the Kalutara District (Phillips 1984).

Stable

There are no major threats to the global population of the stripe-necked mongoose, although major threats are present at the local scale in the form of hunting and trade. This species is hunted for meat that is eaten by several tribes and for its hair that is used for making shaving brushes, paint brushes, and good luck charms (Hanfee and Ahmed 1999). They are also regularly killed by hunting dogs (Adams 1931; Webb-Peploe 1947). All mongoose species are in demand for the wildlife trade (Van Rompaey and Jayakumar, 2003), however, this threat is regional in scale. The loss of habitat is a threat (Van Rompaey and Jayakumar 2003), however, there is likely no significant level of population decline at the species scale.

The stripe-necked mongoose is on Schedule IV of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and has been recorded from many protected areas throughout its range (Van Rompaey and Jayakumar 2003). The Indian population is listed on CITES Appendix III.