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Predators

The Indonesian stink badger

Little information is available regarding animals which prey on this badger. One known predator is the Javan hawk-eagle (Spizaetus bartelsi). This species is confined to the island of Java, where it occupies the rainforests, and hunts mainly from perches on trees in the forest [w035]. This stink badger also shares parts of its range with tigers, so it is possible that in those areas these large predators may include the stink badger in their diet.

The Palawan stink badger

I have no information regarding any predators of this species, other than man.

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Defences

Both of the stink badgers are well known for the potency of their anal gland secretions, and their willingness to use these secretions in defence, hence the name "stink badger". The secretions are squirted from the glands with some accuracy, and with devasting effects in the case of Mydaus javanensis.

The Indonesian stink badger

The secretion of Mydaus javanensis is pale green in colour and described as nauseating and damaging. It is said that dogs have been asphyxiated by the fluid, and that they have even been blinded when struck in the eye! [b001]

The Palawan stink badger

If this stink badger does have any predators, then it certainly will not escape by running away. It has been described as moving with a "rather ponderous, fussy walk"; if alarmed it runs at a steady trot for up to 100 metres, but only at the speed of a man walking. [b001]

The anal gland secretion of Mydaus marchei would appear to be less damaging than that of its Indonesian cousin, being described as pungent but not offensive. Ian Grimwood has described how, when photographing one of these stink badgers, the animal squirted the yellowish, oily fluid at him - it scored a direct hit on the lens of his camera from a distance of 1 metre! This animal had first played dead, and even allowed itself to be carried; the switch to chemical warfare was presumably a second line of defence. [b001]

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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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