Palawan Stink Badger - Profile | Physical Characteristics

(Last Updated On: April 15, 2021)

The Palawan stink badger, scientific name Mydaus marchei, or pantot, is a carnivoran of the western Philippines named for its resemblance to badgers, its highly effective scent, and the most important island to which it’s native Palawan.

Palawan Stink Badger Profile

Palawan Stink Badgers have a body size between 32 and 46 cms (12.5 – 18 inches), a tail size between 1 and 4 cms (0.4 – 1.5 inches) they usually weigh roughly three kgs (6.5 lbs).

They have a stocky construct and quick, muscular legs. Their face is long they usually have a pointed, mobile snout. They are darkish brown in color with a pale yellowish/brown patch on the top of their head that fades right into a stripe down their back to the shoulders.

Palawan Stink Badgers have properly developed anal glands from which they secret a foul-smelling secretion when threatened.

Palawan Stink Badgers may be discovered on the islands of Palawan and Busuanga within the Philippines.

Like all stink badgers, the Palawan stink badger was as soon as thought to share a more latest widespread ancestor with badgers than with skunks. Recent genetic proof, nevertheless, has led to their re-classification as one of many Mephitidae, the skunk family of mammals.

It is the size of a big skunk or small badger and makes use of its badger-like body to dig by night for invertebrates in open areas close to patches of brush.

While it lacks the whitish dorsal patches typical of its closest kinfolk, predators and hunters typically keep away from the highly effective noxious chemical substances it will probably spray from the specialized anal glands attribute of mephitids.

Geographic Range

Mydaus marchei, Palawan Stink Badger is restricted to solely 2 of the Philippine Islands. It is discovered on Palawan (therefore certainly one of its common names )and Busuanga, each situated north and east of Borneo.

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia animals
Eumetazoa: metazoans
Bilateria: bilaterally symmetrical animals
Deuterostomia: deuterostomes
Phylum: Chordata chordates
Craniata: craniates
Subphylum: Vertebrata vertebrates
Superclass: Gnathostomata jawed vertebrates
Euteleostomi: bony vertebrates
Class: Sarcopterygii lobe-finned fishes and terrestrial vertebrates
Tetrapoda: tetrapods
Amniota: amniotes
Synapsida: synapsids
Class: Mammalia mammals Subclass Theria Therian mammals
Infraclass: Eutheria placental mammals
Order: Carnivora carnivores
Suborder: Caniformia caniform carnivores
Family: Mephitidae skunks and stink badgers
Genus: Mydaus stink badgers
Species: Mydaus marchei Palawan stink badger

Palawan Stink Badger Physical characteristics

Although smaller than true badgers, the Palawan stink badger is, without doubt, one of the bigger members of the skunk family, the Mephitidae.

Adults measure 32 to 46 cm (13 to 18 in) in size, about the identical size because the striped skunk native to North America, and weigh something from 0.85 to 2.5 kg (1.9 to five.5 lb).

In bodily look, nevertheless, they more intently resemble badgers than skunks. They have a pointed snout with a mobile nose and a stocky body with quick and highly effective limbs bearing sharply recurved claws.

The tail could be very quick compared to the body, measuring just one.5 to 4.5 cm (0.59 to 1.77 in), and missing the fuzzy fur of many skunks. The ears are virtually invisible, with solely vestigial pinnae, and the eyes are additionally comparatively small.

Palawan stink badgers have lots of similar fossorial variations as different members of their family (Mustelidae): quick, muscular limbs and forepaws geared up with long claws. It is small and stocky with a brief tail and pointed snout.

Its fur is darkish brown total, with a light yellow patch on the top of the pinnacle that fades right down to the shoulders in a stripe. There is proof that paler brown morphs of M. marchei can also happen.

The fur is darkish brown to black over a lot of the body, fading to a more brownish color on the underparts.

There are additionally scattered white hairs throughout the back and over the brow, however not the white stripe and head-patch discovered on the intently associated Sunda stink badger.

Compared with its sister species, the Palawan stink badger can also be barely smaller, with bigger teeth and longer fur. Females have six teats.

Like all members of the Mammalia class, the Palawan stink badgers are endothermic, whereby they use metabolically generated warmth to manage body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Another attention-grabbing bodily function is that they’re bilaterally symmetric.

Communication

Most badgers have an extremely developed sense of scent, and Palawan stink badgers are not any exception. Palawan Stink Badger makes use of the secretions from its anal glands to go away scent marks on the encircling surroundings. These marks in all probability function reservoirs of information for conspecifics and assist outline territories.

Food Habits

Little is thought of the feeding habits of Palawan Stink Badger . It is believed to feed primarily on invertebrates, particularly earthworms and bugs, which it reaches by digging with its long claws. Stink badgers could eat plant materials properly.

Predation

As the widespread name suggests, Palawan stink badgers have the power to secrete a pungent-smelling, oily fluid. The fluid is squirted from anal glands, very like skunks.

The Indonesian stink badger (M. javanensis) has an especially harsh secretion that’s described as “nauseating” and is greenish in color. In comparability, the yellowish secretion of M. marchei is comparatively gentle.

The use of those anal glands appears to be a secondary line of protection. When first threatened, Palawan stink badgers will “play dead” and even enable themselves to be picked up and moved. (Nowak 1999; Neal and Cheeseman 1996)

As is the case with many mustelids bearing white stripes and different markings, the pelage coloration could also be aposematic–a warning to different animals to go away with this creature alone.

Distribution and habitat

Palawan stink badgers reside on the Philippine island of Palawan, and in addition on the neighboring islands of Busuanga and Calauit. They reside primarily within the grasslands and cultivated areas on these islands and use native shrubs for shelter.

The Palawan stink badger was described as “surprisingly common” within the 1970s, nevertheless, it’s now thought of as a weak species by the IUCN.

It is unclear whether or not lack of habitat is adversely affecting M. marchei populations, however being an endemic species that solely habitat two islands, its conservation is unquestionably a priority.

At this time, there doesn’t seem like any Philippine regulation defending the badger, neither is there any conservation work regarding this species being carried out at the moment.

Lifespan/Longevity

No research concerning the lifespan of both species of stink badger has been carried out. M. meles and A. collaris have lived in captivity for 16 and 13 years, respectively.

Ecosystem

It is tough to take a position on the function this animal performs in native ecosystems as a result of so little is thought about its way of life and dietary habits.

It probably performs some function in regulating populations of the invertebrates upon which it feeds. This species could support in aeration of the soil via its foraging behavior, which nearly definitely entails rooting and a few digging.

Palawan Stink Badger Behavior

Unlike many badgers, Palawan stink badgers are primarily diurnal and seem to have a solitary way of life. It shouldn’t be identified whether or not these animals are territorial, though they do use their scent glands to mark their path as they transfer around their habitat.

The massive “projectile” scent glands are a necessary line of protection, as a result of the motion of M. marchei has been described as “ponderous”, and the animal can solely run for brief distances. Also, stink badgers probably have poor eyesight, good listening, and a very good sense of scent, like most badgers.

Palawan Stink Badger Biology

Palawan stink badgers are nocturnal and feed primarily on invertebrates, similar to freshwater crabs and small bugs, which they dig out of the ground with their long claws.

They are good diggers and should spend the day in excavated dens. They could travel as much as 2 km (1.2 mi) seeking meals and are reported to mark their territory with scent. They are sluggish shifting, and never significantly aggressive, both freezing or emitting a warning snarl when threatened.

Like skunks, Palawan stink badgers possess anal scent glands that emit a pungent yellowish liquid. They are capable of spray the liquid as much as a meter, and the scent is claimed to be robust sufficient to be smelled as much as a mile away.

The stink badgers rely virtually completely on this highly effective odor for his or her defense and are among the few wild animals not eaten by the native farmers.

Palawan Stink Badger Reproduction

The mating system and behavior of M. marchei shouldn’t be identified.

No analysis on reproductive habits has been carried out for both M. marchei or M. javanensis. Other badgers (Meles meles and Arctonyx collaris) breed yearly. They produce litters of two to 6 younger after implantation, being pregnant lasts no more than eight weeks.

However, each M. meles and A. collaris can endure a period of delayed implantation and arrested embryonic improvement lasting as much as 10 months, giving an overall being pregnant size nearing a year.

Details of parental care on this species haven’t been reported. However, in M. meles and A. collaris~, females present to care for the younger in dens or burrows.

Lactation could last as long as 4 months, and the interval of maternal care could lengthen past this era because the younger study foraging behavior from their mom. No male parental care has been reported in badgers.

Palawan Stink Badger – Profile | Physical Characteristics | Classification