ULTRASONOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF THE EYEBALL IN A EUROPEAN BADGER (Meles meles)

Year 2026, Volume: 1, 31 - 35, 29.12.2025

Birsen Deniz Ersoy , Can Nacar , Hatice Özlem Nisbet

Abstract

The European badger (Meles meles Linnaeus, 1758) is a large mustelid belonging to the genius Meles, within the family Mustelidae and the order Carnivora. In this study, we present data on biometric evaluation of intraocular structures of an adult female badger by ultrasonography. The study included biometric evaluation of the length, width and height of the eye, as well as intraocular structures. Ultrasonographic examination was successfully performed under anesthesia using a convex probe to overcome anatomical limitations posed by zygomatic arch. The globe was found to be relatively small in proportion to the body size, possibly reflecting the species’ nocturnal and visually limited nature. Despite the limited sample size, key biometric parameters of the eye were obtained for the first time in a living badger. These preliminary findings demonstrate the feasibility of ultrasonographic evaluation of the badger eye.

Keywords

European badger , globe , ocular biometry , ultrasonography

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