Abandoned baby mongoose named Super Mario takes a bow (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Abandoned baby mongoose named Super Mario takes a bow

2:18pm Friday 2nd November 2012 in News By Graeme Hetherington

SUPER Mario has made his debut at a North-East owl centre.

However, the new star of the show is not the computer generated Italian plumber but a cute little baby Mongoose.

Super Mario rejected by his mother and when he was found at just a few hours old he was cold and weak.

And that's when Kirkleatham Owl Centre manager Craig Wesson stepped in to hand rear the tiny fellow, keeping him with him 24hrs a day and feeding him every two hours day and night.

He said: "It’s a round the clock job, he sleeps in a box by my bed with his little hot-water bottle, though there have been nights when he's cried that I've let him sleep on the bed.

"Because he needs feeding every few hours I have to take him with me whenever I go anywhere-as a result he is very well travelled."

Native to southern Africa, Yellow Mongoose live in small family groups, and quite often share the burrows of their relative the Meerkat. Kirkleatham's Mongoose share their enclosure with a small meerkat group.

For further information visit Kirkleathamowlcentre.org.uk