Taxonomy

Indonesian or Javan or Sunda stink badger (Mydaus javanensis)

Taxonomic Heirarchy

Kingdom Animalia
  Phylum Chordata
    Subphylum Vertebrata
      Class Mammalia
        Subclass Theria
          Infraclass Eutheria
            Order Carnivora
              Suborder Caniformia
                Family Mustelidae (badgers, otters, skunks)
                  Subfamily Melinae (true badgers)
                    Genus and Species Mydaus javanensis
                      Subspecies M. j. javenensis and M. j. lucifer

The Indonesian and Palawan stink badgers are sometimes classified in two seperate subgenera:

Genus: Mydaus (stink badgers)
Subgenus: Mydaus (stink badgers)
Genus & species: Mydaus javanensis (Indonesian stink badgers)
Subspecies:
  • Mydaus javanensis javanensis -- Java, Sumatra, and Natuna Islands
  • Mydaus javanensis lucifer -- Borneo; tends to be darker

Genus: Mydaus (stink badgers)
Subgenus: Suillotaxus
Genus & species: Mydaus marchei (Palawan stink badger)
- No known subspecies

Occasionally, the Palawan stink badger is classified in a genus of its own, listed as Suillotaxus marchei.

Historically, there has been debate as to whether stink badgers should be classified with the skunk or true badger family. They're currently placed within the true badger subfamily, but morphometric (cranial, post-cranial, and soft anatomy) and genetic data have demonstrated that they should be classified with the skunks. Dental characteristics, similar primitive conditions of the brain, and a similar mode of defense are shared by skunks and stink badgers.

The German word for stink badger is Stinkdachs, and the Norwegian word is Stinkgraevling. The Sunda stink badger is commonly known as the sigung in Indonesia, while in Malaysia it is referred to as the teledu.

The scientific name for the genus, Mydaus, refers to the stink badgers' unpleasant smell, being derived from the Greek word mudao ("I am damp"), which in turn is a derivitive from the Greek word for damp or decay, mudos.

Physical Characteristics

  

  • Head and body length: 370 - 510 mm (14-20 in)
  • Tail length: 50 - 75 mm (2-3 in)
  • Weight: 1.4 - 3.6 kg (3-8 lb)

Both the Sunda and Palawan stink badgers have pointed faces, with elongated, mobile and naked snouts used for foraging. Powerful jaws and carnassial teeth are adapted for crushing, and the molars are broad, flat and multicusped.

Their stout, muscular limbs are equipped with long,nonretractile claws on the front feet; and well-developed anal scent glands hidden under short, stubby tails. Their eyes are very small and their ears are nearly vestigial.

Females have 3 pairs of mammae. Indonesian stink badgers are not thought to be sexually dimorphic.

Mydaus javanensis has a longer tail, and smaller teeth than Mydaus marchei.

The Sunda stink badger’s coloration is blackish brown, with a white crown and a complete or partial narrow white stripe down the spine onto the tail. As is typical in many mustelids bearing white stripes and other markings, the pelage coloration may be aposematic, warning other animals to leave this animal alone.

Both species of stink badgers are well known for their potency and accuracy in aiming their anal gland secretions in defence. The oily, fluid secretion of M. javanensis is pale green in color and described as nauseating and damaging, reported by natives as capable of asphyxiating dogs, or even blinding them if they are struck in the eye. The Palawan stink badger has a more mild secretion, making its first line of defense actually 'playing dead' and allowing itself to be picked up and moved before spraying.

Geographic Range

Indonesia (Java, Sumatra and the North Natuna Isles) and Malaysia (Borneo)

Range map of Sunda stink badger

Mydaus javenensis lives mainly in mountainous areas (often being found at elevations over 2,100 meters) on those islands where it occurs, including:

  • Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park in West Java, an area of volcanic mountains which are covered with one of the last relatively undisturbed mountain forests of West Java, canvassing an area of 15,000 hectares. The park is situated between approximately 1,000 m and 3,019 m above sea level.
  • Danau Sentarum National Park, West Kalimantan, Borneo (covering an area of 80,000 ha. in the flood plain of the upper Kapuas river).

In Malaysia, this badger is reported to live in scattered localities in the lowland and low hills of Sabah and Sarawak on Borneo.

The stink badgers have a very restricted range, occurring only on Sumatra, Java, Borneo, the North Natuna Islands and some smaller islands in the Philippines. The Indonesian stink badger Mydaus javanensis is the more widespread of these two badgers.

Range map of Sunda and Palawan stink badgers

Range of Palawan stink badger (M. marchei) is marked in red.

Range of Sunda stink badger (M. javanensis) is marked in yellow.

Diet

Indonesian stink badgers in the wild are thought to feed mainly on invertebrates, especially earthworms, adult insects and larvae, as well as carrion and some plant material. As is common in all badgers, they find much of their food by digging with the long claws on their front feet.

At Mount Gede Pangrango National Park, these animals have been known to raid the food supplies of campers.

In captivity, they have eaten worms, insects and chicken entrails.

Stink badgers may aid in aeration of the soil through their foraging behavior, which almost certainly entails rooting and some digging.

Social Organization

The Sunda stink badger is primarily solitary and nocturnal. It resides by day in burrows which it digs for itself; simple, single tunnels ending in a chamber lined with nesting material. Burrows are usually no more than 60cm (2 feet) in depth.

The stink badger's den is often characterised by an unpleasant smell, though whether it is the animal's odor or that of an indiginous species of fern, Didymochlaena truncatula, locally known as paku sigung or "the stink badger fern", is unknown.

Sunda stink badgers will also occupy porcupine burrows, and in the 'partnering' common to the badger subfamily, often share them with the porcupine inhabitants.

On Borneo, they also reportedly inhabit caves.

Territoriality has not been established in stink badgers, but they do use their scent glands to mark their path as they move around their habitat.

Little information regarding behavior, social organization, home ranges or territories of these species exists.

Reproduction

The mating system and behavior of Mydaus javanensis is not known. Speculation has been made that the litter size may be 2-3 young at a time.

No research on reproductive habits has been conducted for either M. javanensis or M. marchei. Other badgers (Meles meles and Arctonyx collaris) breed annually. Both produce litters of two to six young.

After implantation, pregnancy lasts no more than eight weeks. However, both M. meles and A. collaris can undergo a period of delayed implantation and arrested embryonic development of up to 10 months, giving an overall pregnancy length of almost a year.

No reported details of parental care exist for either stink badger species. However, in M. meles and A. collaris, females provide care for the young in dens or burrows.

Weaning may occur at four months, and maternal care may extend beyond this period as the young learn foraging behavior from their mother.

No male parental care has been reported in any species of badger.

Predators and Defense Mechanisms

Predators

Little information is available regarding animals preying on the Sunda stink badger. One known predator is the Javan hawk-eagle (Spizaetus bartelsi), a species confined to the Javan rainforests. This stink badger also shares parts of its range with Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae), and so may be part of their diet.

Local peoples have been known to use the stink badger as an occasional food source and a cure for fever or rheumatism.

Defenses

The Sunda stink badger will first snarl, show teeth, and stamp its forefeet in warning.

If molested or threatened, it raises the tail and ejects a pale greenish fluid to devestating effect, causing possible asphyxiation and blindness.

Conservation Status

International Protection

IUCN: Vulnerable CITES: Not Listed

Legal Protection

Since 1979, Mydaus javanensis has been protected by Indonesian law in Java, Sumatra and the Natuna Isles.

Habitat Protection

Populations of the Indonesian stink badger occur in the following protected areas:

  • Danau Sentarum National Park, West Kalimantan, Borneo.
  • Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park, Java.

Threats by Humans

In the past, Javenese sultans used the anal gland secretion of stink badgers as a base in making perfume, a practice no longer continued.

However, the animals are still illegally hunted by local peoples for food and ingredients for traditional medicines. Some natives eat the flesh, removing the scent glands immediately after the animals are killed. Others mix shavings of the skin with water and drink the mixture as a cure for fever or rheumatism.

It has also been reported that visitors to Mount Gede Pangrango National Park have beaten some stink badgers to death when catching them raiding the campers' food supplies.