Japanese Badger

About the Japanese Badger

The Japanese badger (Meles anakuma) is a species of carnivoran of the family Mustelidae, the weasels and their kin. Endemic to Japan, it is found on Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku, and Shōdoshima. It is assigned to the genus Meles with its close relatives, the European (M. meles), Caucasian (M. canescens) and Asian (M. leucurus) badgers. In Japan, it is called by the name anaguma (穴熊, 貛) meaning "hole-bear", or mujina (むじな, 狢, 貉).

At an average length of 79 cm (31 in) in males and 72 cm (28 in) in females, the Japanese badger is generally smaller and less sexually dimorphic (except in the size of the canine teeth) than its European counterparts. Tail length is between 14 and 20 cm (5.5 and 7.9 in). This species is similar or mildly larger than the Asian badger. Adults usually weigh from 3.8 to 11 kg (8.4 to 24.3 lb). The average weight of female Japanese badgers in one study from the Tokyo area was found to be 6.6 kg (15 lb) while that of males was 7.76 kg (17.1 lb). In Yamaguchi Prefecture, the average spring weight of female and male Japanese badgers was 4.4 kg (9.7 lb) and 5.7 kg (13 lb) respectively. The torso is blunt and limbs are short. The front feet are equipped... Wikipedia →