Endangered Bornean ferret badger turns up on camera carrying a snake through the night

Nighttime camera trap monitoring in the state of Sabah in Malaysia recorded an endangered Bornean ferret badger carrying a snake in its mouth, according to Discover Magazine.

What happened?

According to Discover Magazine, researchers surveying mammals in Sabah, Malaysia, documented the Bornean ferret badger through a large camera network. 

From 2021 to 2024, the team operated 188 camera trap stations in Sabah's western highlands and logged more than 400 observations of the animal. The team then published its findings in the peer-reviewed journal Ecology and Evolution.

Why does it matter?

These camera trap results add to evidence that the Bornean ferret badger may exist only in Sabah. Researchers recorded it mainly in Crocker Range Park and Kinabalu Park. They also identified an unrecognized population in the Nuluhon-Trusmadi Forest Reserve.

Even with that additional population, the species still appears confined to mountain areas in western Sabah.

When a species occupies such a small area, habitat loss or fragmentation can have outsized consequences. Protecting the Bornean ferret badger could also help safeguard the broader mountain ecosystems around it. That could create benefits that extend to the people and communities who live nearby and depend on Sabah's natural landscapes.

The ferret badger could help anchor protection for Sabah's mountain ecosystems as a signature species. Conserving the animal could help support safe wildlife experiences and encourage community stewardship of the land and Sabah's biodiversity.

What are people saying?

Some of the photos came from camera traps set near the family farm of study co-author Mohammad Aliyuddin bin Jaini, according to Discover.

Aliyuddin bin Jaini told the outlet, "To discover that an endangered species found only in Sabah was living right on our doorstep was a special moment. I hope this study helps more Sabahans appreciate and take pride in the remarkable wildlife that makes our state unique."

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