Javan stink badger, Teledu, Malay stink badger, Malay badger, Indonesian stink badger, Sunda skunk
Fur of Sunda stink badgers 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 a scent gland under the tail that secretes a foul-smelling substance; the badger can spray up to 15 cm (5.9 in).
Sunda stink badgers are found in Java, Sumatra, Borneo, and the northern Natuna Islands. They live in a wide variety of habitats, including forest edges or areas of secondary forest. These animals live in mountainous areas and on lowland plains. They also occur in cultivated areas, gardens, suburban and urban areas.
Sunda stink badgers are highly nocturnal and live in pairs. At night, they root through soft soil using their snout and claws searching for worms and various ground-dwelling insects. During the day, they sleep in short burrows, less than 60 cm (24 in) in length. These burrown they either dig themselves or take over from other animals, such as porcupines.
Sunda stink badgers are omnivores. They eat insects, worms, eggs of birds, carrion, and plants.
Little information is available regarding the mating system and reproductive behavior of Sunda stink badgers. Females are known to give birth to litters of 2 or 3 young in underground burrows.
Sunda stink badgers are not considered threatened species, however, they are hunted for their foul-smelling secretions to make perfume, for traditional medicine, and in some areas, they are hunted for food.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Sunda stink badger total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are stable.
