Identification:
- Head-body length: 650 – 1040 mm. Tail length: 120 – 170 mm. Weight: 7 – 14 kg.
- Large, stocky build. Fur color varies seasonally, ranging from yellow, gray, and black. Black fur on the chin, shoulders, and back. White patches on the cheeks and forehead. Front claws are longer than rear claws. The snout is long and projects forward, resembling a pig’s snout. Juveniles have a white head, white ear tips, and pinkish-white claws.
Biology and Ecology:
- Highly adaptable to diverse environments, from lowland forests to forests at altitudes up to 3,500 meters above sea level. Occasionally forages in cultivated areas near forests.
- Omnivorous diet consisting of various bamboo shoots, tubers, worms, insects, and small animals, including millipedes. Uses its snout to push or dig in the soil, similar to a wild boar. Can use its front claws to dig for insects and tubers.
- Nocturnal and solitary foraging behavior. Sleeps in self-dug burrows during the day. Mating pairs may form during the breeding season.
- Poor eyesight but an excellent sense of smell. Emits a strong, distinctive odor. Gives birth to litters of 2-3 offspring. Can live up to 14 years in captivity.
Distribution:
- Eastern Nepal, Bhutan, India, eastern and southern China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.
- In Vietnam, this species is found in the Central Highlands (Đắk Nông, Đắk Lắk, Kon Tum) and Bình Phước (Bù Gia Mập National Park).