The more of the latest litter of pups can survive to adulthood, the greater the chance the Bandeds have of remaining a force in this area. But there is a long way to go before these new pups are old enough to bolster the Bandeds' fighting force. The dry season is also here with a vengeance, making food harder to come by and increasing the competition between the various mongoose mobs that call Mweya their home. And aggression isn't just between rival mobs of mongoose now. Tensions are rising within the Banded Brothers family and infighting leads to some of the family being cast out into the wilderness!

• Dexter Fletcher