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Classification (taxonomy)
There are two species of stink badger, both belonging to the genus Mydaus:
- The Indonesian stink badger, Mydaus javanensis.
- The Palawan stink badger, Mydaus marchei.
Originally placed with the skunks in the genus Mephitis, the stink badgers were later recognised by most taxonomists as members of the badger subfamily (Melinae, part of the family Mustedlidae along with otters, martens, weasels - and skunks). In recent years however evidence - particularly from DNA - has indicated that the stink badgers are indeed skunks. Furthermore it is now generally accepted that the skunks, previously regarded as the mustelid subfamily Mephitinae, actually belong to a family of their own, the Mephitidae. [More info]
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Names
The stink badgers are well named - both species produce foul-smelling emissions from their anal glands. The German for stink badger is Stinkdachs, the Norwegian is stinkgraevling, while the Italian is tasso odoroso. Turning to the native countries of these animals, the Bahasa Indonesian name for the stink badger is sigung, while the Malayan is teledu and the native name for the Palawan stink badger is pantot or pantut. [More info]
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Appearance and general characteristics
The stink badgers are rather small, short and stocky animals, which have been likened to small pigs in their general appearance by some observers. They have elongated muzzles, pig-like noses, very small external ears and tails, and short but muscular legs with long, curved claws on the forefeet. The Palawan stink badger, Mydaus marchei, is the smaller of the two species, with head-and-body lengths ranging from 32 to 46 cm (plus a tail of 1.5 to 4.5 cm), and a body weight of up to about 2.5 kg. The Indonesian stink badger, Mydaus javanensis, measures from 34 to 51 cm from nose to tail base, with a tail measuring from 3.5 to 7.5 cm; its weight varies from about 1.3 to 3.6 kg.
Both species have body fur which typically is predominantly dark brown (M. javanensis) or cocoa brown (M. marchei) to black or blackish in colour. The Indonesian stink badger has a large patch of white or yellowish hair on the top of its head, and a stripe of the same colour extending from this along the spine to the tail (though sometimes the stripe is not continuous); the hairs of the tail are also white or yellowish. The Palawan stink badger has a similar but often smaller cap, and the stripe that extends from this usually fades out at the shoulders.
[More info]
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Distribution and habitat preferences
The distribution of the stink badgers is as follows:
- Indonesian stink badger: Indonesia (Java, Sumatra, southern Borneo or Kalimantan and two small islands near Borneo) and Malaysia (northern Borneo).
- Palawan stink badger: The Philippene island of Palawan plus some of the nearby Calamian Islands or Calamianes.
The Indonesian stink badger is primarily a creature of forested hills and mountains, while its relative on Palawan occurs in a wider range of habitats including grasslands, ricefields and other cultivated land, particularly where shrub cover is also available.
[More info]
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Social organisation
It does not appear that any work has been carried out regarding the social organisation, homes ranges or territories of these species. In 1820 the American physician and naturalist Thomas Horsfield, writing about the Indonesian stink badger on Java, stated that: "These animals, agreeably to the information of the natives, live in pairs" [p1174]. However all of the reported encounters with stink badgers which I have seen involve individual animals.
It may be possible to infer something of the social organisation of stink badgers from that of their nearest relatives, the skunks of North and South America. Although DNA analysis indicates that the ancestors of the New World skunks and Old World stink badgers went their separate ways around 20 million years ago [p1462], I suspect that the social organisation of these two branches of the Mephitidae family is probably similar. While the social behaviour of skunks has not been studied in great depth, it appears that individuals are generally solitary but live within home ranges which are not defended and which may overlap with those of other skunks, with males of some species roaming beyond their normal home ranges during the breeding season [p1466]. Striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) are believed to be more social than the other skunks, sharing communal dens over winter in the northern parts of their geographic range [p1466, p1579]. As Indonesian stink badgers living at high altitudes will likely be exposed to cold weather, I would not rule out the possibility that they too may share dens.
[References]
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Activity patterns
The Indonesian stink badger, Mydaus javanensis, appears to be primarily nocturnal [p3, p36, p1174], although the fact that this species features in the diet of the Javan hawk eagle Spizaetus bartelsi [p910] suggests that it must also be active during daylight hours, perhaps around dawn and/or dusk. Although one observer reported that the Palawan stink badger Mydaus marchei is nocturnal, another has seen this species active during the day as well as at night [p36, p111-5].
[References]
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Dens
The Indonesian species, Mydaus javanensis, lies up in burrows which it digs for itself; these are simple, single tunnels apparently no more than 60 cm in depth ending in a chamber. It will also occupy porcupine burrows, sometimes sharing the burrows with the prickly owners. The stink badger's den is said to be characterised by an unpleasant smell, although apparently there can be confusion as there is a species of fern, Didymochlaena truncatula, locally known as paku sigung (the stink badger fern), which produces a very similar odour. [p3, p36, p1583, w33]
Thomas Horsfield, writing in 1820, said this of the Indonesian stink badger on Java [p1174]: "The Mydaus forms its dwelling at a slight depth beneath the surface, in the black mould, with considerable ingenuity. Having selected a spot, defended above by the roots of a large tree, it constructs a cell or chamber, of a globular form, having a diamater of several feet, the sides of which it makes perfectly smooth and regular; this it provides with a subterraneous conduit or avenue, about six feet in length, the external entrance to which it conceals with twigs and dry leaves."
The Indonesian stink badger is also said to inhabit caves at high altitudes on Borneo [p36].
Little has been written about the dens of the Palawan stink badger, but it appears that they excavate their own burrows. One animal was seen to dig a den in a dam, or bund, between rice paddies in less than five minutes [p111-5].
[References]
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Food and feeding behaviour
The stink badgers are thought to feed mainly on invertebrates, especially earthworms and insects. As with the other badgers, they find much of their food by digging with the long claws on their front feet and by rooting in the ground with their snouts. [More info]
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Life cycle
Based on the fact that female stink badgers have six mammae or teats, it is thought likely that both species give birth to litters of around two or three young [p36]; there is anecdotal evidence for this in the case of the Indonesian stink badgers of Java [p1174]. The young are probably born and reared in a burrow [p36]. It would appear that nothing is known regarding the timing or duration of the breeding season or the development of the young of either species. The longevity of stink badgers in the wild also remains a mystery; my guess is that the typical life expectancy for those individuals surviving into adulthood is likely to be around three to five years.
[References]
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Parasites
Three species of tick, Haemaphysalis koningsbergeri, Haemaphysalis hystricus and Ixodes spinacoxalis) are reported to parasitise the Indonesian stink badger [p36, p699].
Ticks found on the Palawan stink badger include Haemaphysalis palawanensis [p1178, p1586] and Haemaphysalis hoogstraali [p1586]. Mites of the genus Chorioptes have also been found on the Palawan stink badger on one occasion and were assigned to a new species, C. mydaus; however the validity of this designation is in doubt [p1188].
In the 1960s two species of nematode were recovered from the Palawan stink badger, namely Physaloptera maxillaris [p1457] and Arthrostoma vampira (of which 13 specimens were found in the small intestine of one stink badger) [p1456, p1180]. Another nematode, Blattophila sp., has also been reported from the Palawan stink badger [p36]. Nematodes of this genus are usually parasites of cockroaches (Order Blattaria), so perhaps the stink badger becomes a secondary host as a result of eating coackroaches which carry nematodes within them.
The Palawan stink badger may also act as a secondary host for two other parasites (a pentastomid or tongue worm and an acanthocephalan or spiny-headed worm) in a similar fashion, but as a result of eating snakes. A paper published in 1967 states that snakes are the usual primary hosts for adult pentastomids while mammals act as a secondary hosts; the paper includes an image showing nymphs, thought likely to be Waddycephalus teretiusculus, in the lymph node of a Palawan stink badger [p1454]. Another paper published by the same authors, also in 1967, reported the presence of a single juvenile acanthocephelan, Pseudolueheia pittae, in the intestine of a Palawan stink badger [p1068]. Adults of this species were found in birds (two species of pitta and one woodpecker), but "numerous juveniles were found encysted in the mesenteries of snakes."
[References]
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Predators and defences against them
The Javan hawk-eagle is known to prey on the Indonesian stink badger; other possible predators include civets, feral cats and, on Sumatra, the tiger. It appears that the Palawan stink badger has no natural enemies, and is little trouble by dogs or cats. If provoked, the stink badgers may try to defend themselves by living up to their names: both species can squirt noxious secretions from their anal glands. [More info]
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Conservation issues and action
The Indonesian stink badger is protected by law in Indonesia and the Malaysian state of Sabah, although limited hunting is permitted and it would seem that some hunting does take place. The Palawan stink badger has no legal protection. It is rarely hunted for food. Deforestation may have reduced the numbers of the Indonesian stink badger, but no population estimates are available. The Palawan stink badger meanwhile seems to have adapted well to habitat changes. [More info]
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Where to see stink badgers
If you want to see the Indonesian stink badger, then it appears that your best bet is to visit the Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park in West Java. According to a web page on animal watching in this Park, night-time "spotting" with a torch can yield a variety of nocturnal birds, frogs, and mammals including otters and stink badgers. A cautionary note is added however - for safety's sake, keep to the path when out at night. Should you find a stink badger, you can apparently approach quite close if you move very slowly. Campers on the summits in the Park have often reported that these animals have raided their food, which suggests the possibility of watching stink badgers from a tent on top of a mountain, if you are prepared to stay up all night and leave your food outside! [w33]
I do not know of any specific localities on Palawan where you can see the Palawan stink badger. However, the species is apparently fairly common on the island, and sometimes lives close to human settlements, so the chances of seeing and watching this stink badger would seem to be quite good.
[References]
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Picture credits
The Palawan stink badger photo used at the head of this Article is © Peter Widmann, and used with his permission. 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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