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General appearance

One of this species' common names - bear-pig - is a rather apt description of the hog badger. Like the Eurasian badger, this species is somewhat bear-like in general build, being rather stocky with short but powerful legs (especially the forelegs). The shape of the head is also similar to that of Meles - but the snout is bare of fur and very pig-like in appearance (hence another of this animal's common names: the hog-nosed badger).

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Measurements

Head-and-body lengths range from 550mm to 700mm, with tail lengths of 120 to 170mm. Adults may weigh anything from 7 to 14kg.

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Colouration

In general, the colouration of the hog badger is very similar to that of the Eurasian badger, Meles meles. The body fur varies in colour from yellowish or brown to grey or blackish; often being darker around the shoulders. The hair on the belly, legs and feet is black. The face is white with black eyestripes running from the muzzle up to and around the white ears. In some specimens however there is also a second black stripe on each side of the head, running from the mouth, through the cheeks and joining with the main eye-stripe just below below the ear. This feature, which is absent from the Eurasian badger, is not universally present in the hog badger. (It may be confined to certain subspecies, but I need more evidence before I can be certain of this.)

Other features which distinguish the hog badger from the Eurasian species are the claws on the front feet, which are are considerably longer and white in colour, and the tail which is also longer and white in colour. In addition, the throat is white rather than black as in Meles meles. Finally, the pig-like snout is devoid of hair and is pink in colour, along with the nose.

Picture © Mr Smith Sutibut, and used with the kind permission of the Bangkok Post (www.bangkok-post.com).

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Additional picture credits

The hog badger photo used at the head of this page is © Advanced Thailand Geographic Magazine, and used with the kind permission of Thon Thamrongnawasawat, TalayThai.com Manager. 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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