Badger
The Eurasian Badger, or Brock, is one of Britain's largest and best-loved wild animals.
Nocturnal in habits and shy of human contact, the striking black and white striped creatures are generally welcomed by arable farmers and landowners due to their gentle nature and clean habits. A glimpse of a badger, or of the gregarious cubs playing together outside the sett, is a sight to remember.
Eurasian Badgers (Meles meles) live across Europe, through Japan and in some parts of China. In the UK, badgers are most commonly found in the South-west and Wales, with some setts also flourishing in areas of North-east England. Badgers have made their home in Britain for thousands of years, surviving the extinction of other native species such as cave bear, wild boar and wolves. They are resilient, intelligent and adaptable animals, able to find food in all seasons, stay below ground during cold winters and construct safe homes that can last for hundreds of years.
A badger's sett is a labyrinthine underground structure of tunnels and nesting chambers. Up to 12 members of a family group or clan will occupy one sett, which is often inherited by successive badger generations. Woodland, hedgerows and canal embankments are common locations, with outside cover enabling badgers to emerge - and cubs to play - without being too visible to humans or predators. Badgers are well-ordered and hygienic creatures. They regularly discard their old bedding and dig their dung-pits up to 10-15 metres away from the sett. This is also a useful method of marking their territory, which they are prepared to fiercely defend from other badgers when necessary.
Facts
Appearance: Short and stocky animals with silvery-grey backs and striking black and white stripes running from nose to shoulders
Size: 65-80cm
Weight: 8-12kg
Lifespan: Maximum 14 years. Unfortunately, wild badgers rarely reach this age
Diet: Primarily earthworms. However, omnivorous badgers eat a wide range of foodstuffs including rodents, insects, seeds, berries and lizards. A badger's diet will reflect its territory. Therefore badgers living near waterways may also regularly consume animals such as frogs
Family: Mustelidae
Did you know?
- The word 'badger' comes from the French 'bêcheur', meaning 'digger'. This refers to the badgers' competent burrowing behaviour
- Some badgers' setts have been in use for centuries
- Main setts have been found with as many as 50 separate entrance holes
- It is against the law to disturb badger setts
- Badgers have an unusual reproductive system which delays the birth of cubs until the temperature and food supply are at their best. They breed at any time of the year, and the female badger then retains the fertilised eggs in her uterus for up to 10 months
contact us
print page
Bookmark with: