Thai National Parks

Species of Thailand

Hog badger

Arctonyx collaris, Georges-Frédéric Cuvier, 1825

(In Thai: หมูหริ่ง)

The hog badger (Arctonyx collaris), also known as greater hog badger, is a terrestrial mustelid native to Central and Southeast Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species because the global population is thought to be declining due to high levels of poaching.

Characteristics

It has medium-length brown hair, stocky body, white throat, two black stripes on an elongated white face and a pink, pig-like snout. The head-and-body length is 55 - 70 cm, the tail measures 12 - 17 cm and the body weight is 7 - 14 kg. With weights regularly reported from 8.4 to 12 kg it is one of the world's largest terrestrial extant mustelids going on average body mass, perhaps behind only the wolverine and rivaling the European badger (although it is not known to rival the weights of the latter, better-known badger during autumn hypophagia).

Its appearance generally resembles the European badger, but it is generally smaller, with larger claws on the front feet. Its tail has long white hairs, and its front feet have white claws.

Distribution and habitat

Hog badger is considered fairly common in Thailand and in tropical evergreen forests and grasslands of the Terai in north-eastern India and eastern Bangladesh. It occurs in Indochina and in southern China. Its distribution in Myanmar is considered patchy. In the Indonesian island of Sumatra, hog badger occurs primarily above 2000 m with one record at 700 m. There is one isolated record in eastern Mongolia.

The IUCN considers the greater hog badger (A. collaris), the northern hog badger (A. albogularis) and the Sumatran hog badger (A. hoevenii) as three separate species. The greater hog badger is listed as a Vulnerable species. The other two are listed as Least Concern.

Ecology and behavior

The hog badger is active by day and not very wary of humans. Analysis of numerous camera trap pictures from Myanmar show no peak activity at either day or night.

The hog badger is omnivorous, its diet consists of fruits, roots and small animals.

This article uses material from Wikipedia released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike Licence 3.0. Eventual photos shown in this page may or may not be from Wikipedia, please see the license details for photos in photo by-lines.

Scientific classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Carnivora
Family
Mustelidae
Genus
Arctonyx
Species
Arctonyx collaris

Common names

  • German:
    • Schweinsdachs
    • Riesendachs
  • English: Greater hog badger
  • Spanish: Tejón porcino
  • French:
    • Blaireau à gorge blanche
    • Blaireau-cochon
    • Blaireau asiatique
  • Italian: Tasso naso di porco
  • Dutch: Varkensdas
  • Russian: Свиной барсук
  • Swedish: Svingrävling
  • Thai: หมูหริ่ง

Subspecies

  • Arctonyx collaris albogularis, Edward Blyth, 1853

    Common name: Northern hog badger

    Range: Southern China northwards to Shensi

  • Arctonyx collaris collaris, Georges-Frédéric Cuvier, 1825

    Common name: Greater hog badger

    Range: Eastern Himalayas

  • Arctonyx collaris consul, Reginald Innes Pocock, 1940

    Common name: Burmese hog badger

    Range: Assam to Myanmar

  • Arctonyx collaris dictator, Oldfield Thomas, 1910

    Common name: Indochinese hog badger

    Range: Southern Thailand and Indochina

  • Arctonyx collaris hoevenii, Ambrosius Arnold Willem Hubrecht, 1891

    Common name: Sumatran hog badger

    Range: Sumatra

  • Arctonyx collaris leucolaemus, Henri Milne-Edwards, 1867

    Common name: Chinese hog badger

    Range: Northern China from South Kansu to Chihli

Synonyms

  • Arctonyx annaeus, Michael Rogers Oldfield Thomas (1921)
  • Arctonyx dictator, Michael Rogers Oldfield Thomas (1910)

Conservation status

Near Threatened (IUCN3.1)

Near Threatened (IUCN3.1)

Photos

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Arctonyx collaris - Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary
Hog Badger - Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary
Hog badger area

Range Map

Distribution map of Hog badger, Arctonyx collaris in Thailand
  • Chaloem Rattanakosin National Park
  • Doi Inthanon National Park
  • Doi Phu Kha National Park
  • Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Kaeng Krachan National Park
  • Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Khao Dinsor (Chumphon Raptor Center)
  • Khao Kho District, Phetchabun
  • Khao Laem National Park
  • Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Khao Sok National Park
  • Khao Yai National Park
  • Kui Buri National Park
  • Mueang Krabi District, Krabi
  • Pang Sida National Park
  • Phanom Dong Rak Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park
  • Phu Khiao Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Phu Suan Sai National Park
  • Ta Phraya National Park
  • Thap Lan National Park
  • Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary
Range map of Arctonyx collaris in Thailand