Burmese Ferret Badger

About the Burmese Ferret Badger

The Burmese ferret-badger (Melogale personata), also known as the large-toothed ferret-badger, is a mustelid native to Southeast Asia. Little is known about the Burmese ferret-badger. Many of the published descriptions are of deceased individuals or records by camera traps.

The Burmese ferret-badger has a head and body length of 35–40 cm (14–16 in), a tail length of 15–21 cm (5.9–8.3 in) and a body weight of 1.5–3 kg (3.3–6.6 lb). The fur ranges from fawn brown to dark brown, with a white dorsal stripe. The face is marked with black and white patches, which are unique to each individual. The rear part of the tail is whitish.

The Burmese ferret-badger is very similar in appearance to the Chinese ferret-badger (Melogale moschata) and can only be reliably distinguished by dentition, specifically the larger size up the upper fourth premolar. While some sources have suggested that the two species can be distinguished by dorsal and facial markings, this does not appear to be reliable in all populations.

The Burmese ferret badger has been recorded in north-eastern India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Yunnan... Wikipedia →