Check out these articles
-
Video article 12:45
More Than 300 Species of Animals Live in a Zoo That Makes Use of the Majestic Nature of the Tama Area! Tama Zoological Park Is the Perfect Place for Leisure or a Date!
Living Things- 33 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 3:53
It's Not Just for Kids, but Adults Too! Kochi Prefecture's Ichibutsu Park Where You Can See Animals in Their Natural Environment!
Living Things- 34 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 1:00
Introducing Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens, a Favorite for Children and Adults Alike. Enjoy Animals and Plants at Nagoya's Popular Zoo, Which Boasts More Than 80 Years of History!
Living Things- 29 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 1:02
The Animals of the Land, Sea, and Sky Are All Here! Shirahama Adventure World - A Place That Both Children and Adults Can Enjoy!
Living Things- 15 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 2:30
Enjoy the World of Animals at Tobu Zoo With Its Open-Ended Exhibits. The Lions and White Tigers Are So Majestic!
Living ThingsThings to Do- 43 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 3:14
The Minohiki Chicken - A Japanese Bird Bred in the Pursuit of Beauty! This Majestic Chicken, With Its Dignified Appearance, Is in Danger of Extinction!
Living Things- 393 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 3:16
The Yamane (Japanese Dormouse) – A Look at One of Japan's Cutest Protected Species Running Around and Playing!
Living Things- 4.8K plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 6:02
Yuihin, the Cute Giant Panda at Wakayama's Adventure World, Japan's Largest Breeder of Giant Pandas! A Look at the Endangered Giant Panda's Eating Habits and Little-Known Facts!
Living ThingsTravelThings to Do- 35 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 3:05
Noichi Zoological Park - Otter Exhibits, Recreation of Natural Habitats and More! Come Check Out the Amazing Wildlife of Japan in a More Natural Habitat!
Living Things- 36 plays
- YouTube
The Small, Cute Japanese Badger! A Look at Their Ecology and Habits!
A Look at the Japanese Badger
This video, titled "[Japan's Wildlife] the Ecology of Badgers|A Cute Animal That Looks Like a Bear but Isn't (Japanese Badger)" (【日本の動物】アナグマの生態〜クマのようで熊ではない可愛い動物〜(Japanese badger)), introduces the Japanese badger.
Japanese badgers look like bears, but as you'll see in the video, they are actually quite different.
Let's take a look at Japan's native badger species!
About the Japanese Badger
Japanese badgers belong to the family Mustelidae and order Carnivora.
The scientific name of the Japanese badger is "Meles anakuma."
The Japanese badger is 40 to 60 centimeters in length and weighs about 12 kilograms.
They're light brown in color, similar to that of bears.
A characteristic of the Japanese badger is their sharp claws.
Japanese badgers are nocturnal and omnivorous animals and live in units called "clans."
When the temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius, they enter hibernation.
They inhabit forests in Honshu (本州), Shikoku (四国), and Kyushu (九州).
The average lifespan for a wild Japanese badger is 10 years.
In the video you can see two cute Japanese badgers playing, running around, and taking naps.
Japanese Badgers - Viewed as Pests
Japanese badgers have warm personalities and do not scare easily.
Unfortunately, because they often feed on the crops of farmers, they are seen as pests.
Some restaurants in Fukuoka, Kagoshima, and Kyoto actually serve badger meat as game dishes.
The Diverse Wildlife Found in Japan
There are other animals similar to the Japanese badger, such as the raccoon dog (tanuki), masked palm civet, raccoon, and the Japanese weasel.
There's a Japanese proverb that goes "Onaji ana no Mujina" (同じ穴の狢), which, translated to English, goes "Badgers of the same hole."
It basically expresses that while seemingly unrelated, these animals are of the same type.
It's similar to "birds of a feather" or "villains of the same stripe."
Breeding Japanese Badgers?
Japanese badgers are quite friendly. Even when people come close to it, it sometimes moves closer to them, albeit with their tail between their legs like a cat.
However, if they are provoked, they may threaten other animals with fierce warning calls.
They are not prohibited from being kept as pets, but it's a bit difficult to actually keep them, as you won't be able to bring them to an ordinary vet if something happens.
Summary of Japanese Badgers
In this article we gave a quick overview of the Japanese badger.
Recently, Japanese badgers have been featured on news broadcasts as they've been seen coming down to towns for food, due to increasing deforestation.
We'll have to do our part to preserve the forests so that humans and animals can coexist.
-
Video article 7:07
Cape Kiritappu - Enjoy a View of Cute Otters Playing in Hokkaido! Observe the Wildlife of Japan at This Popular Sightseeing Location!
Living Things- 2.36K plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 6:37
The Small, Cute Japanese Badger! A Look at Their Ecology and Habits!
Living Things- 2.97K plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 3:01
The Northern Pika of Japan: Learn About the Cute Critter Known as the "God of Rocky Lands" and Found in the Outdoors of Hokkaido. Also See Its Characteristic High-Pitched Cry!
Living Things- 2.76K plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 2:24
The Cute Ezo Momonga - Discover the Flying Squirrels of Japan!
Living Things- 4.04K plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 2:26
Cute Capybaras Enjoying Hot Springs With Fruit on Their Heads at Izu Shaboten Zoo!
Living Things Things to Do Travel- 3.19K plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 1:30
The Oniyanma: Amazing Footage of Japan's Largest Dragonfly! See It Molting and Laying Eggs in Nature...
Living Things- 1.78K plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 4:04
Adorable Japanese Weasels Caught on Camera! See Them Swimming, Relaxing, and Playing in Their Natural Habitat in the Great Outdoors!
Living Things- 508 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 2:02
Capybaras bathing in the hot spring is a relaxing spot to observe the cute bathing scene. The capybara hot springs at Saitama-ken Kodomo Zoo in Higashimatsuyama City, Saitama Prefecture, are a relaxing spot where you can observe cute bathing scenes!
Living Things- 2.65K plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 0:40
Mysterious giant salamander appears in the Kamo River in Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture! The ecology of this “living fossil” designated as a special natural monument is introduced!
Living Things- 4.15K plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 10:11
The Tsushima Leopard Cat: A Look at the Life of the Feline That Is Both Cute and Scary. The Unknown Secrets of the Nationally Protected Species!
Living Things- 487 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 2:06
Yezo Sika Deer: Learn About the Magnificent Deer of Hokkaido's Snowy Notsuke Peninsula! All About Yezo Sika Deer and Their Problem as a Disruptive Species
Living Things Nature- 947 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 4:50
A Rare Video of a Wild Marten! Can They Be Kept as Pets? What Kind of Animal Is This Cute Critter? Learn About Their Ecology and Daily Lives!
Living Things- 1.25K plays
- YouTube
2 Comments