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Image: Burmese ferret badger (Melogale personata).
Home » Ferret badgers ( Melogale species) » Articles :
Find out about the colouration, weights and measurements of the ferret badgers.
On this page: General appearance | Measurements | Colouration | Related Badger Pages
Unlike the other badgers, the ferret badgers are small, elongated animals with long, bushy tails. They do however have typical badger legs: short, with broad paws that are equipped with long, strong claws for digging. The pads on the feet have ridges running across them, and the toes are partially webbed; these features are believed to be adaptations for climbing (the Chinese ferret badger has been found sleeping in the branches of trees).
Head-and-body lengths range from 330 mm to 430 mm. The length of the tail ranges from 150 mm to 230 mm. Weights range from 1 - 3 kg.
The ferret badgers have greyish or brownish body fur on their backs and flanks, with the underparts being paler. The heads are quite striking: being white (or yellowish) with black markings. There is a black band across the muzzle, and another, thicker black band across the forehead between the ears. Two short black stripes, one on each side of the head, run from the band on the muzzle, up to and just above the eyes, and on to join with the band across the forehead. There is also a small black spot on each cheek. A thick white dorsal stripe runs from the top of the head (starting within the thick black band that runs between the ears) and down the back. The inside of each ear is pink, as is the nose and the skin immediately above it. The toes are also pinkish in colour.
[Image]
Chinese ferret badger.
The black bands and stripes on the face of this ferret badger tend to be thicker than those on the face of the Burmese species. A more reliable distinguishing feature however is the dorsal stripe, which runs as far as the shoulders and then gets thinner and peters out towards the middle of the back (see photo).
Albino specimens of the Chinese ferret badger have been recorded on Taiwan.
Picture from the website of (External) YangMin Shan National Park (Taiwan) and used with permission. See the Photo File .
[Image]
Burmese ferret badger.
The key feature which distinguishes this species from the Chinese ferret badger is the dorsal stripe, which runs all the way down the middle of the back down to the rump or the base of the tail (see photo). The black bands and stripes on the face of the Burmese ferret badger tend to be thinner than those on the face of the Chinese species.
Picture © Mr Sawai Wanghongsa, and used with the kind permission of the (External) Royal Forest Department of Thailand . See the Photo File .
Information on this species is difficult to find. The one (black and white) photograph that I have seen indicates that Javan ferret badger has markings which are similar to those of its relatives, including a white stripe running from the top of the head down to the shoulders and possibly beyond. The dark markings on the face appear to be more extensive than in the other ferret badgers however.
[Image]
Everett's ferret badger.
The mounted specimen of Everett's ferret badger depicted here has much browner fur than the other two species. However, this may be an old specimen in which the colouration has changed. I have seen a photograph of a live specimen which has grey fur. The facial markings are not dissimilar to those of the other ferret badgers, and the dorsal stripe, like that of the Chinese ferret badger, ends at the shoulders.
Picture © Dr Pam Mynott, and used with the photographer's kind permission. See the Photo File .
Find out about the appearance and general characteristics of:
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The Burmese ferret badger photo used at the head of this Article is © Mr Sawai Wanghongsa, and used with the kind permission of the (External) 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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