VietNamNet Bridge – After several years of research, the Cuc Phuong Primates Rescue Center has confirmed that a Melogale badger that was found in Vietnam’s Cuc Phuong National Park in 2006 is a new species, named Melogale cucphuongensis sp. nov.
The discovery has been published on Der Zoologische Garten, an international journal.

According to scientists, the new species has skull and some characters that are different from other badger species that have been known in the world.

Experts said that the weasel found in January 2006, has similar characters like a seriously injured weasel which was rescued by Cuc Phuong National Park’s forest rangers one year ago.

During rescuing the badger, experts found out that the weasel had different characteristics in comparison with other Melogale species that had been recognized. However, the research was interrupted because the badger was dead and its body was treated under the current regulations.

The new species is reported to live in Cuc Phuong National Park in Ninh Binh province. However, experts said that perhaps their distribution is similar with Chinese Ferret-badger (Melogale moschata) and Burmese Ferret-badger (Melogale personata).

Badger species of the genus Melogale live in Indochina and the islands of Java, Bali and Northeastern Borneo.

Before the new species was made public, there were four species of genus Melogale: Bornean Ferret-badger (Melogale everetti), Chinese Ferret-badger (Melogale moschata), Javan Ferret-badger (Melogale orientalis) and Burmese Ferret-badger (Melogale personata). The Chinese Ferret-badger and Burmese Ferret-badger have been found in Vietnam.

Thien Nhien