| Greater hog badger | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Greater hog badger inHuai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Mustelidae |
| Genus: | Arctonyx |
| Species: | A. collaris |
| Binomial name | |
| Arctonyx collaris Cuvier, 1825 | |
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Thegreater hog badger (Arctonyx collaris) is a very large terrestrialmustelid native toSoutheast Asia. It is listed asVulnerable in theIUCN Red List of Threatened Species because the global population is thought to be declining due to high levels ofpoaching.[1]
It was formerly thought to be the only species in the genusArctonyx, displaying heavy variation throughout its wide range, leading it to be classified as having many subspecies. However, a 2008 study found thatArctonyx should be split into three species.[2]The followingsubspecies were formerly recognized, but are now thought to beconspecific with little distinction between one another:[3][4]
The greater hog badger has medium-length brown hair, a stocky body, white throat, two black stripes on an elongated white snout, with a pink, pig-like nose. The snout-to-rump length is 65–104 cm (26–41 in), the tail measures 19–29 cm (7.5–11.4 in) and the body weight is 7–14 kg (15–31 lb).[6][2]
With weights regularly reported between 8.4 to 12 kg (19 to 26 lb), it is one of the world's largest terrestrial extant mustelids (by average body mass). It is perhaps only second or third to thewolverine, rivaling theEuropean badger; However, hog badgers are not known to rival the weights of the European badger duringautumn hyperphagia.[7][8]
A hog badger's appearance generally resembles theEuropean badger, but having a pronounced pig-like snout, and with larger claws on the front feet. Its tail has long white hairs, and its front feet have white claws.
The greater hog badger is considered fairly common inThailand and most ofmainland Southeast Asia, living intropical evergreen forests and grasslands. They are also to be found in theTerai of theIndian Subcontinent; from theYamuna River east, through the states ofHaryana,Uttarakhand,Uttar Pradesh,Bihar,Assam andWest Bengal. The range also encompasses areas of lower Himalayan foothills in parts ofBangladesh,Bhutan, andNepal, in addition to theBrahmaputra River basin.[1] Its distribution inMyanmar is considered patchy.[9]
The hog badger is active by day and not very wary of humans.[10] Analysis of numerouscamera trap pictures fromMyanmar show no peak activity at either day or night.[11]
The hog badger isomnivorous; its diet consists of fruits, roots and small animals.[citation needed]A study conducted in Laos found that the nativeclouded leopards eat a large proportion of greater hog badgers, accounting for 28% of their diet.[12]
