Melogale everetti

Geographic Range

Melogale everetti is only found on Mt. Kinabalu on the Northern tip of the island of Borneo. Mt. Kinabalu is in Kinabalu Park in the state of Sabah, Malaysia. It is the only ferret badger to inhabit this region.

• Biogeographic Regions
• oriental oriental
  • native native

• Other Geographic Terms
• island endemic island endemic

Habitat

Melogale everetti occurs on Mt. Kinabalu at elevations of 1,000 to 3,000 m. It is a little-studied species, so information on the particulars of its habitat are lacking. However, the habitat of the genus Melogale is wooded hillsides and sub-tropical and tropical forests. Considering the supporting information, the latter of the three is the most logical habitat description for this particular ferret badger, although there seems to be no information stating this specifically.

• Habitat Regions
• tropical tropical
• terrestrial terrestrial

• Terrestrial Biomes
• rainforest rainforest
• mountains mountains

Physical Description

Melogale everetti is small and long compared to other species of ferret badger. They weigh between one and two kg, and are between 330 and 440 mm in length. The tail is long and bushy and can be from 152 to 230 mm in length.

Ferret badgers have short legs and broad feet with strong digging claws that are characteristic of badgers. There are ridges that run along the pads of the feet and the toes are partially webbed. These are thought to be climbing adaptations.

The defining characteristic of a ferret badger is the white or yellowish ferret-like mask on the face. A dorsal stripe is also present that can range in color from white to red. The rest of the body can range from grey-brown to dark black with a lighter under side.

No specific data exist on variations in coloration between the different ferret badger species, or whether they exhibit geographic variation.

• Other Physical Features
• endothermic endothermic
• bilateral symmetry bilateral symmetry

Reproduction

Information on the mating system of this species is not available.

The breeding season of the genus Melogale is long and the females are actually able to reproduce at any point in the year. Males, however, undergo a period of non-reproduction. During this time (from around September to December) the male ferret badger ceases sperm production.

Females give birth to litters of 1 to 5 offspring after a gestation of 57 to 80 days. Young are weaned between 2 and 3 months of age.

Ferret badgers do not employ delayed implantation of embryos. Young are usually born in May and June.

• Key Reproductive Features
• iteroparous iteroparous
• seasonal breeding seasonal breeding
• gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
• sexual sexual
• fertilization fertilization
• viviparous viviparous

Little is known about the parental care in this species. Mothers care for their young in a burrow until they are able to forage for themselves. Nursing lasts for between 2 and 3 months. It is not known exactally when the young become independent of the mother, or whether the father plays any part in parental care.

• Parental Investment
• pre-hatching/birth
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • female
• pre-weaning/fledging
  • provisioning
    • female

Lifespan/Longevity

There appears to be no information on the lifespan of M. everetti either in the wild or in captivity. However, a very similar species, Melogale moschata , the Chinese ferret badger, is said to have still been living after 10 years and 6 months in captivity.

Behavior

Ferret badgers are said to be fierce when provoked or cornered. The bulk of their activity transpires at night but are also active at dusk. When M. everetti isn't out foraging it resides in a burrow. Ferret badgers don't dig their own burrows but capitalize on pre-existing burrows dug by other animals.

• Key Behaviors
• fossorial fossorial
• nocturnal nocturnal
• motile motile

Home Range

The home range size for these animals is not known.

Communication and Perception

Melogale everetti exhibits warning coloration and exudes a pungent odor from its scent glands if pressed. These forms of communication are similar to, but not as extreme as, those of skunks.

As is true of virtually all mammals, visual signals, tactile cues, scents, and vocalizations probably play some role in communication between conspecifics. However, because there seem have been no observations of the behavior of M. everetti in the wild or in captivity published, it is mpt possible to comment further on any specific forms of communication used by these animals.

• Communication Channels
• visual visual
• tactile tactile
• acoustic acoustic
• chemical chemical

• Perception Channels
• visual visual
• tactile tactile
• acoustic acoustic
• chemical chemical

Food Habits

All Melogale species appear to be very omnivorous. Ferret badgers forage on the ground mostly for invertebrates, amphibians, insects, fruit and carrion. They are also formidable climbers and have been known to forage in trees as well.

• Primary Diet
• omnivore omnivore

• Animal Foods
• birds
• mammals
• amphibians
• reptiles
• eggs
• carrion carrion
• insects
• terrestrial non-insect arthropods
• terrestrial worms

• Plant Foods
• fruit

Predation

The stripe and mask of M. everetti and its counterparts are thought to be warning coloration. Ferret badgers are said to emit a pungent scent from their anal glands when threatened.

Ecosystem Roles

Once again this is a field that has not been explored in reference to M. everetti . However, it is likely that because of their predatory behavior, these animals affect the populations of prey organisms. To the extent that these badgers must dig through the upper levels of soils to obtain food, these animals probably contribute to help to aerate the soil.

• Ecosystem Impact
• soil aeration soil aeration

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

People travel from all over the world to visit Kinabalu Park where M. everetti resides. Kinabalu Park has a rich diversity of flora and fauna that attracts tourists. This tourism generates money for the surrounding area and the native people. Also, these animals may help humans in more direct ways. The Burmese ferret badger ( Melogale personata ) is said to be welcomed into the homes of the natives because their rid the premises of unwanted pests such as insects and invertebrates.

• Positive Impacts
• ecotourism ecotourism

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

There appears to be no information has been published on any negative affects of M. everetti upon humans.

Conservation Status

The range of these animals is very limited, and as such, the population of these ferret badgers seems to be one which could easily be erradicated if proper steps are not taken to conserve its habitat. Although CITES and the US Endangered Species act don't consider the species any special risk, IUCN lists it as vulnerable.

Luckily for M. everetti , the range of the species falls into a protected national conservation park.

Additional Links

Encyclopedia of Life

Contributors

Nancy Shefferly (editor), Animal Diversity Web.

Nicole Edmison (author), Humboldt State University, Brian Arbogast (editor), Humboldt State University.

References

Burton, J., B. Pearson. 1987. The Collins Guide to the Rare Mammals of the World . Lexington, Mass.: The Stephen Greene Press.

Jackson, S. 1997. "Badger Pages: The ferret badgers (Melogale spp.)" (On-line). Accessed December 3, 2003 at http://www.badgers.org.uk/badgerpages/ferret-badgers-01.html .

Nowak, R. 1995. "Walker's Mammals of the World Online" (On-line). Accessed October 31, 2001 at http://www.press.jhu.edu/books/walker/carnivora.mustelidae.melogale.html .

Protected Areas Programme, 1999. "World Heritage Sites" (On-line). Accessed October 31, 2001 at http://www.wcmc.org.uk/protected_areas/data/wh/kinabalu.html .

Walker, E. 1964. Mammals of the World, Vol. 2 . Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press.