Introduction
The hog badger belongs to the order Carnivora, family Mustelidae (weasels, otters etc.) In China, the hog badger is called Zhu-huan or huan-zhu, while in Indonesia it is known as pulusan or babi batang.

The animal is known commonly as "hog badger" because of its pig-like snout, and also possibly because of the way it searches for food with the snout, similar to what a pig would do. "Hog nosed badger" is another name used for this species.

Appearance
Generally, the hog badger is gray/black to yellowish/brown with a white striped head pattern and white throat, ears, and tail. The body and head of the hog badger range from 55 to 70 cm. The tail ranges from 12 to 17 cm. The weight of the adults range from 7 to 14 kg.

The body fur varies in colour from yellowish or brown to grey or blackish; often being darker around the shoulders. The hair on the belly, legs and feet is black. The face is white with black eyestripes running from the muzzle up to and around the white ears. The color pattern has been interpreted as a means of warning potential enemies that the animal so marked is best left alone.

Life span
Litters of 2-4 young are usually born in the spring (February – April). They may reach adult size at around 7-8 months of age. There is no data on how long they live in the wild, but one particular specimen in captivity was known to live to nearly 14 years old.

Behaviour
Hog badgers are nocturnal, and spend the day hiding in natural shelters (such as under rocks and boulders) or self-excavated burrows (sometimes called "dens"). Hog badgers are said to be playful animals, especially the young. Not much is apparently known about the animal in the wild, but it’s believed be solitary.

Predators & Defences
Hog badgers are known to be preyed upon by tigers and leopards. When a hog badgers meets a potential threat, its reaction is to bristle its coat and utter a grunting noise, and will also defend itself with its teeth and claws. When under attack, the hog badger will not give up without putting up quite a fight! It will defend itself with its strong jaws and long claws. It may also attempt to escape predators by digging into the ground. Arctonyx has been known to dig itself out of sight when picked out with a spotlight beam at night!

Like other badgers, the hog badger also emit a foul-smelling fluid from its anal glands. It is not know whether this is used in defence, though one source states this "awful-smelling secretion" is discharged when the animal becomes extremely frightened.

Forests are the hog badger's principal habitat, including lowland jungles, wooded highlands up to 3000 metres or more in northern China, semi-evergreen forests in western Manipur (India), and teak-gurjan forests on the borders of India and Myanmar. The hog badger has also been seen in more open habitats from time to time.

The diet includes insects, rodents, birds and fruits, along with roots and tubers which are grubbed up with the snout and the long claws of the fore paws. In Manipur in north-eastern India, local tribes report that the hog badger is fond of crabs, which it finds in rivers and streams.

Fun facts about badgers in general
The badger is the fastest digging animal on earth, and the strongest for its size.

Badger's have been known to partner up with other species, and sometimes even share the same burrow. Most common in England is badgers and foxes, in the U.S. it is the coyote and the badger, and on the island of Palewan it is the porcupine (ouch!).

Eurasian badgers are known to "scent" trees and fence post from 12 to 16 inches (30.5 to 40.6 cm) up the wood by doing hand stands. Then they rub the scent glands in their anus against the tree or post.

Myth
In medieval times it was said that if a badger crossed behind you on the path you had walked it was good luck. But... if it passed in front of you, it was bad luck. For really bad luck, if it stopped and scratched the earth on the path in front of you, that you were bound to die soon. (good thing this is only a myth!)