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The conservation status of the ferret badgers

Chinese ferret badger

This species is also considered to be threatened in India, where it has a limited distribution. Its exact status in India however is not known, sightings being rare due to the animal's small size and nocturnal habits. [c014, b130-02]

Burmese ferret badger

This ferret badger is reasonably widespread, and not considered to be at risk on a global scale. In India, the Conservation Assessment and Management Plan (CAMP) workshop for Indian Mammals in August 1997 listed the status of the Burmese ferret badger as "vulnerable". It is known from only a limited number of locations in that country. [c014, b130-01, b130-02]

Javan ferret badger

The Javan ferret badger is described as "near-threatened" or at lower-risk by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. [w045]

Everett's ferret badger

Everett's ferret badger is listed by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre as "vulnerable", no doubt because of its extremely limited distribution. Within that limited range however, the animal is described as being "common". [c012, w045]

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Hunting and trade

Wild animals of all kinds - including ferret badgers - are trapped and traded as sources of food, medicines and pelts by local peoples in many parts of south-east Asia. Trapping is a threat to the welfare of these animals, as is the transportation of live animals for trade purposes. Excessive hunting may also a pose a threat to the conservation of these species in some areas. The full extent to which the ferret badgers are hunted and traded is not known.

The Chinese ferret badger

In China, this species (along with a host of other mammals) is used as a source of meat, medicines and also for its pelt. Trade in wildlife in China has never been monitored in a systematic manner, so it difficult to assess the impact of the trade on the species involved. A study of trade in wildlife carried out in 1993-94 suggested that "In view of the large and still expanding population in China, the pressure of human exploitation must be quite severe". Trade in this species has been confirmed in Yunnan Province, on the border with Vietnam. During a three month study of wildlife trade in this area, ferret badgers were noted between 2 and 5 times. The 1993-94 study referred to above found that in December 1993, 65 live ferret badgers were exported from mainland China to Hong Kong for food. I suspect that these examples are likely to represent the tip of a very large iceberg. [b138, b139]

In Taiwan, the ferret badger is one of 8 major target species hunted by aborigines living in the Yushan National Park. [w148]

A Conservation Assessment and Management Plan (CAMP) workshop for Indian Mammals in August 1997 listed the threats faced by this ferret badger in India. These included hunting (for food) and local trade. [c014]

Everett's ferret badger

Local people are known to trap this ferret badger using snares baited with banana; however the extent of this trapping is not known. [c012]

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Habitat loss

Habitat destruction must be a threat to the conservation of ferret badgers (and of course to a multitude of other species in south-east Asia). Forests are being felled at tremendous rates in countries such as Myanmar (Burma). The full extent of this threat is simply not known however.

The Chinese ferret badger

The Chinese ferret badger has been included in a list of the "less common" mammals of Hong Kong [w047], where the destruction of habitats by the spread of roads, housing and industry into previously undeveloped areas is reported to be of concern. [w047, w048]. Habitat loss has also been reported as a problem facing this species in India [c014].

The Burmese ferret badger

As with the Chinese ferret badger, this species is considered to be threatened in India by loss of habitat. [c014, b130-01]

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Lack of information

Lack of information about the ferret badgers is another major threat facing these species. We simply do not know enough about their distribution, numbers, habitat requirements, ecology or behaviour. Any of these species could be endangered in one or more of the countries in which they occur, without us realising it. And if we could identify any populations under threat, we have little information upon which effective conservation efforts could be based.

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Picture credits

The Burmese ferret badger photo used at the head of this Article is © Mr Sawai Wanghongsa, and used with the kind permission of the Royal Forest Department of Thailand. Credits for the photos used in the right-hand margin of this page for site navigation can be found on the Credits page.

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