| Sunda stink badger | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Mephitidae |
| Genus: | Mydaus |
| Species: | M. javanensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Mydaus javanensis | |
 | |
| Sunda stink badger range | |
| Synonyms | |
Mydaus meliceps[3] | |
TheSunda stink badger (Mydaus javanensis), also called theJavan stink badger,teledu,Malay stink badger,Malay badger,Indonesian stink badger andSunda skunk, is a mammal native toIndonesia andMalaysia. Despite the common name,stink badgers are not closely related to truebadgers, and are, instead, Old World relatives of theskunks.[4] Coincidentally, its local namesigung inSundanese[5] is afalse cognate toskunk which is of Algonquian origin.
Sunda stink badgers have a similar body shape to badgers, but are significantly smaller, being 37 to 52 cm (15 to 20 in) in total length, and weighing from 1.3 to 3.6 kg (2.9 to 7.9 lb). Their fur is coarse, and black or very dark brown over most of the body, with a white stripe running from the top of the head to the tail. The tail is short, measuring about 3.6 cm (1.4 in), and is covered in pure white fur. The width of the stripe varies considerably between individuals, but is usually narrow, and may be discontinuous. As the name indicates, stink badgers have an analscent gland that secretes a foul-smelling substance, which the animal can spray up to 15 cm (5.9 in). Females have sixteats.[6]
Named for theSunda Islands, Sunda stink badgers are found inJava,Sumatra,Borneo, and the northernNatuna Islands. Sunda stink badgers can be found across a wide variety of habitats, including forest edges or areas ofsecondary forest. Historically, they were thought to be restricted to high elevations of over 2,000 m (6,600 ft), and only rarely on lowland plains. This is now known not to be true, and more recent surveys have shown Sunda stink-badgers are often found in elevations well below 2000m.[7] Sunda stink badgers have been reported as low as 250 m (820 ft) above sea level on Java, at relatively low elevations inSarawak.,[6] and have even been recorded at elevations as low as 10m in the Lower Kinabatangan floodplains, Sabah, Borneo at seemingly high densities.[8]
Three subspecies are recognized:[6]
The Sunda stink badger is omnivorous and highly nocturnal.[9] The animal portion of its diet consists of invertebrates, eggs, andcarrion. At night, it roots through soft soil using its snout and claws searching for worms and ground-dwelling insects. During the day, it sleeps in short burrows, less than 60 cm (24 in) in length, which it either digs or takes over from other animals, such asporcupines. Females have been reported to give birth to litters of two or three young.[6]
