In the mountains of northern Borneo, an endangered ferret badger that’s rarely seen by humans has been caught on camera. Living in a restricted geographic range and coming out mostly at night has made the Bornean ferret badger a tricky animal to see in-person. As a result, not much is known about this elusive ferret badger.
A new study published in Ecology and Evolution, however, has managed to get a glimpse at the Bornean ferret badger thanks to camera traps laid out across the mammal’s home. The footage that was obtained adds to the belief that the Bornean ferret badger is only found in Sabah, the northernmost state of Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. With the species' limited range in mind, researchers are now calling for conservation plans to make sure the ferret badger can stay secure in its home.
Finding the Bornean Ferret Badger
Bornean ferret badger
(Image Credit: AJ Hearn)
Contrary to its name, the Bornean ferret badger is neither ferret nor badger — but it has an eclectic mix of features from both. It is one of six species in the genus Melogale (under the broader family of Mustelidae), all of which live in Southeast Asia. All six ferret badgers have no close genetic relation to ferrets or badgers, according to Genuine Mustelids, but physically, they have the small, elongated body (weighing only around two pounds) and bushy tail of a ferret, paired with the broad paws and long claws of badgers, which make them proficient at digging.
Beyond their blend of mustelid features, much of the Bornean ferret badger’s lifestyle is shrouded in mystery. To learn more about the mammal, researchers realized that some nighttime sleuthing was needed. So, they set up 188 camera-trap stations across Sabah’s western highlands, which ended up making more than 400 observations of the ferret badger from 2021 to 2024.
Mohammad Aliyuddin bin Jaini, field manager of the Bornean Carnivore Programme and one of the new study’s authors, had placed camera traps around his family’s farm; in several photographs, the ferret badger made a surprise appearance.
"To discover that an endangered species found only in Sabah was living right on our doorstep was a special moment. I hope this study helps more Sabahans appreciate and take pride in the remarkable wildlife that makes our state unique," said Aliyuddin bin Jaini in a statement.
Home in the Mountains
Photographs from the camera traps showed the highly nocturnal Bornean ferret badger foraging on the forest floor at night; one photo even showed a ferret badger carrying a snake.
With footage of the carnivore in hand, the researchers turned to habitat-modeling techniques to gauge the species’ potential distribution. They confirmed the species is largely confined to Crocker Range Park and Kinabalu Park, which are separated by approximately 6 miles — there have been efforts in recent years to improve ecological connectivity between the two parks, spearheaded by the Kinabalu Ecolinc Project.
The camera trap photographs also revealed a previously unknown population east of the Kinabalu-Crocker landscape, in the Nuluhon-Trusmadi Forest Reserve. However, the species still wasn’t seen outside of western Sabah’s mountainous regions.
Inspiring Conservation Across Sabah
To strengthen the connection between the Bornean ferret badger and its home in Sabah, the researchers suggest that it could go by an alternative common name, the “Kinabalu ferret badger.”
Regardless of its name, the researchers believe that, since the species likely occurs only in Sabah and nowhere else on Earth, it could become an important flagship species for the conservation of Sabah’s mountainous ecosystems.
"The species may also offer opportunities for carefully managed nature-based tourism. Wildlife enthusiasts already travel from around the world to Sabah to experience its extraordinary biodiversity, and local communities, especially those from the Kinabalu Ecolinc area, may one day be able to provide specialist wildlife-watching experiences focused on the Bornean ferret badger," said lead author Andrew Hearn, the director of the Bornean Carnivore Programme.
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Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
- This article references information from a study published in Ecology and Evolution: Distribution, Habitat Use and Conservation of the Bornean Ferret Badger
- This article references information from Genuine Mustelids: Ferret-Badgers
- This article references information from a study published in Springer Nature Link: Connecting Kinabalu and Crocker Range Parks for Nature and Culture
