Badger
The European Badger is a species of badger in the mustelid family (which in the UK includes the Otter, Pine Marten, Stoat and Weasel) and it is native to almost all of Europe.
The source of the word "badger" is uncertain. The Oxford English Dictionary states it probably dates from the 16th century and derives from "badge", referring to the white mark borne like a badge on the Badger’s forehead. The French word bêcheur (digger) has also been suggested as a source. The far older name "brock" derives from the Gaelic broc or Welsh broch and appears in Old English as brocc.
The Badger is a powerfully built animal with a small head, a thick, short neck, a stocky, wedge-shaped body and a short tail. Its feet are short with 5 toes on each foot. The limbs are short and massive with naked lower surfaces on the feet. The claws are strong, elongated and have an obtuse end which assists in digging. The snout, which is used for digging and probing, is muscular and flexible. The eyes are small and the ears short and tipped with white. Whiskers are present on the snout and above the eyes.
Boars (males) typically have broader heads, thicker necks and narrower tails than sows (females) which are sleeker and have narrower, less domed heads and fluffier tails. Adults measure 9.8 to 11.8 inches in shoulder height, 24 to 35 inches in body length and 4.7 to 9.4 inches in tail length. Boars slightly exceed sows in measurements but can weigh considerably more. Weight varies seasonally, growing from spring to autumn and reaching a peak just before the winter. During the summer, the Badger weighs 15 to 29 pounds but this increases to 33 to 37 pounds in the autumn. Sows can attain a top weight of around 38 pounds, while exceptionally large boars have been reported in the autumn with the heaviest verified at 60 pounds.
The contrasting black, white, brown and grey markings of the Badger’s fur serve to warn off attackers rather than camouflage as they are conspicuous at night. The colour, coarseness and density of the fur varies seasonally.
Although the Badger’s sense of smell is acute, eyesight is monochromatic as has been shown by their lack of reaction to red light. Only moving objects attract their attention.
The European Badger is the most social of badgers, forming groups of 6 adults on average, although larger associations of over 20 individuals have been recorded. Group size may be related to habitat composition. Under optimal conditions, Badger territories can be as small as 30 hectares but may be as large as 150 hectares in marginal areas. Badger territories can be identified by the presence of communal latrines and well-worn paths.
It is mainly male Badgers that are involved in territorial aggression. A hierarchical social system is thought to exist and large powerful boars seem to assert dominance over smaller males. Large boars sometimes intrude into neighbouring territories during the main mating season in early spring. Sparring and more vicious fights generally result from territorial defence in the breeding season. When fighting, Badgers bite each other on the neck and rump while running and chasing each other and injuries incurred in such fights can be severe and sometimes fatal. However, in general, animals within and outside a group show considerable tolerance of each other.
The Badger is usually monogamous and boars typically mate with a single female for life, whereas sows have been known to mate with more than one male. The oestrus cycle in the Badger lasts 4 to 6 days and may occur throughout the year, although there is a peak in spring. Sexual maturity in boars is usually attained at the age of 12 to 15 months but this can range from 9 months to 2 years. Sows usually begin ovulating in their second year, although some exceptionally begin at 9 months. Badgers can mate at any time of the year, although the main peak occurs in February to May. Matings occurring outside this period typically occur in sows which either failed to mate earlier in the year or matured slowly. Delayed implantation following mating can last 2 to 9 months although matings in December can result in immediate implantation. Ordinarily, implantation happens in December with a gestation period lasting 7 weeks.
Cubs are usually born in mid-January to mid-March within underground chambers containing bedding. In areas where the countryside is waterlogged, cubs may be born above ground in buildings. The average litter consists of 1 to 5 cubs. Cubs are born pink with greyish, silvery fur and fused eyelids. Newborn Badgers are 5 inches in body length on average and weigh 2.6 to 4.7 ounces, with cubs from large litters being smaller. By 3 to 5 days, claws become pigmented and individual dark hairs begin to appear. Eyes open at 4 to 5 weeks and milk teeth erupt about the same time. Cubs emerge from their setts at 8 weeks of age and begin to be weaned at 12 weeks, although they may still suckle until they are 4 to 5 months old. Subordinate females may assist the mother in guarding, feeding and grooming the cubs. Cubs fully develop their adult coats at 6 to 9 weeks. The Badger can live for up to about 15 years in the wild.
The Badger is a burrowing animal. However, the dens it constructs (setts) are complex and are passed on from generation to generation. A sett is almost invariably located near a tree which is used by badgers for stretching or claw scraping. Badgers defecate in latrines which are located near the sett and at strategic locations on territorial boundaries or near places with abundant food supplies. The number of exits in a sett can vary from just a few to 50. Setts can be vast and can sometimes accommodate multiple families. When this happens, each family occupies its own passages and sleeping and nesting chambers. Badgers dig and collect bedding throughout the year, particularly in autumn and spring, and the chambers are frequently lined with bedding brought in on dry nights consisting of grass, bracken, straw, leaves and moss. The Badger is a fastidiously clean animal which regularly clears out and discards old bedding.
Along with the Brown Bear, the Badger is among the least carnivorous members of the carnivorous mammals. It is a highly adaptable and opportunistic omnivore whose diet encompasses a wide range of animals and plants. Earthworms are their most important food source, followed by large insects, carrion, cereals, fruit and small mammals including rabbits, mice, shrews, moles and hedgehogs. In addition, a wide variety of insect prey, cereal food, windfall fruit and berries is eaten. Occasionally, the Badger feeds on medium to large birds, amphibians, small reptiles, snails, slugs, fungi, and green food such as clover and grass. The Badger typically eats prey on the spot and rarely transports it to the sett.
The Badger has few natural enemies. Wolves, lynxes and dogs can pose a threat although deaths caused by them are rare. It may live alongside the Red Fox in isolated sections of large burrows and the 2 species possibly tolerate each other through the Red Fox providing food scraps to the Badger and the Badger maintaining the shared burrow’s cleanliness.
The Badger is native to most of Europe and parts of western Asia west of the Volga river in Russia. The International Union for Conservation of Nature rates the Badger as being of “least concern”. It is abundant and increasing throughout its range, partly due to a reduction in rabies in central Europe. In the UK, the Badger experienced a 77% increase in numbers during the 1980s and 1990s and the population is estimated to be around 300,000. The Badger is found in deciduous and mixed woodlands, clearings, spinneys, pastureland and scrub, including Mediterranean maquis shrubland. It has also adapted to life in suburban areas and urban parks, although not to the extent of the Red Fox.
Date: 18th May 2005
Location: Rothiemurchus, Inverness-shire
The source of the word "badger" is uncertain. The Oxford English Dictionary states it probably dates from the 16th century and derives from "badge", referring to the white mark borne like a badge on the Badger’s forehead. The French word bêcheur (digger) has also been suggested as a source. The far older name "brock" derives from the Gaelic broc or Welsh broch and appears in Old English as brocc.
The Badger is a powerfully built animal with a small head, a thick, short neck, a stocky, wedge-shaped body and a short tail. Its feet are short with 5 toes on each foot. The limbs are short and massive with naked lower surfaces on the feet. The claws are strong, elongated and have an obtuse end which assists in digging. The snout, which is used for digging and probing, is muscular and flexible. The eyes are small and the ears short and tipped with white. Whiskers are present on the snout and above the eyes.
Boars (males) typically have broader heads, thicker necks and narrower tails than sows (females) which are sleeker and have narrower, less domed heads and fluffier tails. Adults measure 9.8 to 11.8 inches in shoulder height, 24 to 35 inches in body length and 4.7 to 9.4 inches in tail length. Boars slightly exceed sows in measurements but can weigh considerably more. Weight varies seasonally, growing from spring to autumn and reaching a peak just before the winter. During the summer, the Badger weighs 15 to 29 pounds but this increases to 33 to 37 pounds in the autumn. Sows can attain a top weight of around 38 pounds, while exceptionally large boars have been reported in the autumn with the heaviest verified at 60 pounds.
The contrasting black, white, brown and grey markings of the Badger’s fur serve to warn off attackers rather than camouflage as they are conspicuous at night. The colour, coarseness and density of the fur varies seasonally.
Although the Badger’s sense of smell is acute, eyesight is monochromatic as has been shown by their lack of reaction to red light. Only moving objects attract their attention.
The European Badger is the most social of badgers, forming groups of 6 adults on average, although larger associations of over 20 individuals have been recorded. Group size may be related to habitat composition. Under optimal conditions, Badger territories can be as small as 30 hectares but may be as large as 150 hectares in marginal areas. Badger territories can be identified by the presence of communal latrines and well-worn paths.
It is mainly male Badgers that are involved in territorial aggression. A hierarchical social system is thought to exist and large powerful boars seem to assert dominance over smaller males. Large boars sometimes intrude into neighbouring territories during the main mating season in early spring. Sparring and more vicious fights generally result from territorial defence in the breeding season. When fighting, Badgers bite each other on the neck and rump while running and chasing each other and injuries incurred in such fights can be severe and sometimes fatal. However, in general, animals within and outside a group show considerable tolerance of each other.
The Badger is usually monogamous and boars typically mate with a single female for life, whereas sows have been known to mate with more than one male. The oestrus cycle in the Badger lasts 4 to 6 days and may occur throughout the year, although there is a peak in spring. Sexual maturity in boars is usually attained at the age of 12 to 15 months but this can range from 9 months to 2 years. Sows usually begin ovulating in their second year, although some exceptionally begin at 9 months. Badgers can mate at any time of the year, although the main peak occurs in February to May. Matings occurring outside this period typically occur in sows which either failed to mate earlier in the year or matured slowly. Delayed implantation following mating can last 2 to 9 months although matings in December can result in immediate implantation. Ordinarily, implantation happens in December with a gestation period lasting 7 weeks.
Cubs are usually born in mid-January to mid-March within underground chambers containing bedding. In areas where the countryside is waterlogged, cubs may be born above ground in buildings. The average litter consists of 1 to 5 cubs. Cubs are born pink with greyish, silvery fur and fused eyelids. Newborn Badgers are 5 inches in body length on average and weigh 2.6 to 4.7 ounces, with cubs from large litters being smaller. By 3 to 5 days, claws become pigmented and individual dark hairs begin to appear. Eyes open at 4 to 5 weeks and milk teeth erupt about the same time. Cubs emerge from their setts at 8 weeks of age and begin to be weaned at 12 weeks, although they may still suckle until they are 4 to 5 months old. Subordinate females may assist the mother in guarding, feeding and grooming the cubs. Cubs fully develop their adult coats at 6 to 9 weeks. The Badger can live for up to about 15 years in the wild.
The Badger is a burrowing animal. However, the dens it constructs (setts) are complex and are passed on from generation to generation. A sett is almost invariably located near a tree which is used by badgers for stretching or claw scraping. Badgers defecate in latrines which are located near the sett and at strategic locations on territorial boundaries or near places with abundant food supplies. The number of exits in a sett can vary from just a few to 50. Setts can be vast and can sometimes accommodate multiple families. When this happens, each family occupies its own passages and sleeping and nesting chambers. Badgers dig and collect bedding throughout the year, particularly in autumn and spring, and the chambers are frequently lined with bedding brought in on dry nights consisting of grass, bracken, straw, leaves and moss. The Badger is a fastidiously clean animal which regularly clears out and discards old bedding.
Along with the Brown Bear, the Badger is among the least carnivorous members of the carnivorous mammals. It is a highly adaptable and opportunistic omnivore whose diet encompasses a wide range of animals and plants. Earthworms are their most important food source, followed by large insects, carrion, cereals, fruit and small mammals including rabbits, mice, shrews, moles and hedgehogs. In addition, a wide variety of insect prey, cereal food, windfall fruit and berries is eaten. Occasionally, the Badger feeds on medium to large birds, amphibians, small reptiles, snails, slugs, fungi, and green food such as clover and grass. The Badger typically eats prey on the spot and rarely transports it to the sett.
The Badger has few natural enemies. Wolves, lynxes and dogs can pose a threat although deaths caused by them are rare. It may live alongside the Red Fox in isolated sections of large burrows and the 2 species possibly tolerate each other through the Red Fox providing food scraps to the Badger and the Badger maintaining the shared burrow’s cleanliness.
The Badger is native to most of Europe and parts of western Asia west of the Volga river in Russia. The International Union for Conservation of Nature rates the Badger as being of “least concern”. It is abundant and increasing throughout its range, partly due to a reduction in rabies in central Europe. In the UK, the Badger experienced a 77% increase in numbers during the 1980s and 1990s and the population is estimated to be around 300,000. The Badger is found in deciduous and mixed woodlands, clearings, spinneys, pastureland and scrub, including Mediterranean maquis shrubland. It has also adapted to life in suburban areas and urban parks, although not to the extent of the Red Fox.
Date: 18th May 2005
Location: Rothiemurchus, Inverness-shire
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Also in: Other mammals
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