The Japanese badger, known scientifically as Meles anakuma, is a species of the Mustelidae family, which includes weasels and otters. This animal is endemic to Japan. As a distinct member of its family, the Japanese badger possesses physical and behavioral traits that set it apart from relatives like the European badger.
Physical Characteristics and Habitat
The Japanese badger is smaller and more slender than its European counterpart. Males reach an average length of 79 cm, while females are slightly smaller at 72 cm. Their weight can vary depending on the region and time of year, ranging from 3.8 to 11 kg. The badger’s coat is long, gray-brown hair with shorter black hair on its underside, and its face features less distinct black and white stripes than the European badger.
These badgers are well-adapted to digging, using powerful front claws to construct extensive burrows known as setts. These underground dens serve as their primary shelter for resting and raising young. The species thrives in various habitats across Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku, including woodlands, forests, and suburban areas. They build their setts on hillsides, which aids in drainage and soil removal during excavation.
Diet and Behavior
As an omnivore, the Japanese badger has a varied diet that shifts with the seasons and local food availability. Its diet primarily consists of earthworms, which are a staple, along with various insects, beetles, and beetle larvae. They supplement their diet with plant matter, including fruits, nuts, and berries.
Japanese badgers are primarily nocturnal, emerging from their setts at night to forage. Unlike the more social European badgers, the Japanese species is largely solitary, and individuals forage alone. While their territories may overlap, they communicate through scent marking rather than direct social interaction.
During colder winter months, particularly in northern regions, Japanese badgers enter a state of prolonged inactivity. This is not true hibernation but a state of torpor, where their metabolic rate and body temperature decrease to conserve energy. They will emerge from their setts during milder winter periods to forage. The duration of this torpor can vary based on the severity of the winter weather.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
The reproductive cycle of the Japanese badger is timed for cubs to be born in the spring when food is more plentiful. The species exhibits delayed implantation, where the fertilized egg does not implant in the uterus until the following February. This ensures the gestation period, which lasts about 49 days after implantation, results in births during March and April.
Litters consist of one to four cubs, though as many as six have been recorded. The cubs are born blind and helpless within the safety of the sett. The mother cares for them alone, as male badgers do not participate in raising the young. The cubs are weaned by five to six weeks of age and begin to emerge from the den to forage with their mother. They become fully independent around 15 months old.
Conservation Status and Human Interaction
The Japanese badger is listed as a species of “Least Concern” by the IUCN, but its populations face pressures from human activities. The primary threats are habitat loss and fragmentation from the expansion of agriculture and urban development. Road mortality is another concern as badgers often cross roads during their nocturnal activities.
In some parts of Japan, badgers are considered agricultural pests due to their tendency to dig in fields and feed on crops. This has led to conflicts with farmers and, in some regions, culling programs. For instance, an increase in culling was reported in Kyushu, driven by bounties and a rising demand for badger meat. The Japanese badger also holds a place in the nation’s folklore, where it is known as the mujina and is depicted as a shapeshifting trickster figure.