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Malay Weasel

Mustela nudipes

French: Putois a pieds nus / German: NacktfuRwiesel / Spanish: Comadreja descalza

Taxonomy. Mustela nudipes Desmarest, 1822,

Indonesia.

Monotypic.

Distribution. Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and S Thailand.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 30-36 cm, tail 24-26 cm; weight 1000 g. The Malay Weasel has a long, slender body and short limbs. The pelage is reddish-brown, almost orange throughout, with the head much paler than the rest of the body, often appearing white. The tail is long and bushy; the basal half is the same color as the back, but the distal halfis typically all white. The soles of the feet are naked around the pads. There are two pairs of mammae.

Habitat. Rainforests, with records from 400 to 1700 m. Often found in close proximity to water.

Food and Feeding. Diet includes small mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles.

Activity patterns. Apparently active both day and night. Rests in holes underground.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Said to be solitary and terrestrial.

Breeding. Litter size reported to be up to four.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern in The IUCN Red List. This is a poorly known species and field studies are needed to learn more about its natural history, ecology, and conservation status. It is eaten in parts of Sarawak and there is some evidence of medicinal use.

Bibliography. Banks (1949), Duckworth et al. (2006), Francis (2008), Franklin & Wells (2005), IUCN (2008), Lekagul & McNeely (1991), Payne et al. (1985), Wozencraft (2005).