| Mustelids, Viverrids and Herpestids of India: Species Profile and Conservation Status |
- S.A. Hussain |
| Introduction
| Mustelids | Viverrids
| Herpestids |
| Conservation
Significance | References
|
Large-toothed ferret badger Melogale personata Geoffroy 1831
Distribution
In India the
large-toothed ferret badger or the Burmese ferret badger is distributed from
Nepal eastwards to West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh
(Pocock 1941, ZSI 1992, Ramakantha 1992b, 1995, Choudhury 1997 a,b, 1999, Datta
1999, Chakraborty & Bhattacharya 1999). Outside of India its presence has
been confirmed from Myanmar and Thailand (Pocock 1941, Wozencraft 1993).
Description
The large-toothed ferret badger is similar in size to small-toothed ferret badger. However, they differ mostly in the pattern of dentition. It has a massive pm4 and pm1 is disproportionately smaller than pm2. However, externally the dorsal streak in large-toothed ferret badger always extends up to the back or base of the tail, and is always continuous. Individual colour variation is prominent in both the species, and individually.
Four subspecies are reported, M. personata personata, M. p. nipalensis, M. p. pieri and M. p. laotum, of which one subspecies M. p. personata is reported from India.
Behaviour
Nothing is known about its behaviour and ecology.
Conservation status
It is listed in Schedule II part II of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Appendix III of CITES and VU C2a during the CAMP Workshop.
 |
 |
| Introduction
| Mustelids | Viverrids
| Herpestids |
| Conservation
Significance | References
|