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Badgers have rather short, wide bodies, with short legs for digging. They have elongated, weasel-like heads with small ears. Their tails vary in length depending on species; the stink badger has a very short tail, while the ferret-badger's tail can be 46–51 cm (18–20 in) long, depending on age.
- Clan
- Senses
- Diet
- Reproduction
In the UK, badgers live in mixed-sex groups of between four and eight animals in underground 'setts'. A social group living together in the same sett is also known as a 'clan'. While badgers tend to live in groups, they do not always act cooperatively with their fellow clan members. Badgers are unique in this way as individuals in a clan will forag...
A badger’s sense of smell is a particularly important sense as it plays a vital role in communication. Badgers have several scent glands which produce a variety of odours, used for distributing information like warning signals and mating status. Scents produced are also used to tighten bonds between social groups, with studies suggesting that clan ...
The diet of a badger is extremely varied, with badgers being described by expert Professor Tim Roper as "opportunistic omnivores". Earthworms are the core of the badger's diet, often by as much as 60 per cent. In a single night, an adult badger may eat well over 200 worms! When conditions are harsh (hard frosts, dry or barren areas of habitat), wor...
Badgers mate at almost any time of the year, but due to an unusual reproductive technique, known as delayed implantation, they have only one litter a year. Litter size ranges from one to five cubs, with two or three the more common number. Cubs are born in chambers lined with bedding material that the females (sows) gather and drag into the breedin...
Common name: badger. Scientific name: Meles meles. Family: Mustelidae. Habitat: broadleaved woodland, farmland, towns and gardens. Diet: worms, invertebrates, small mammals, fruit. Predators: adults have no predators; cubs sometimes taken by foxes and large birds of prey. Origin: native.
Sep 23, 2024 · Badger, common name for any of several stout carnivores, most of them members of the weasel family (Mustelidae), that are found in various parts of the world and are known for their burrowing ability. The species differ in size, habitat, and coloration, but all are nocturnal and possess anal scent.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Badgers are the UK’s largest land predator and are one of the most well-known British species. They are famed for their black and white stripes and sturdy body, using their strong front paws to dig for food and to perfect their hobbit-like burrows, called ‘setts’.
Jan 17, 2023 · Overview. The European badger, also known as the Eurasian badger, is a species of mustelid, or weasel family, native to Europe and parts of Asia. It is a medium-sized mammal with short legs and long claws for digging. Badgers are omnivorous animals that feed on small mammals, birds, insects, fruits and vegetables.
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badger, Any of eight species of stout-bodied carnivores (family Mustelidae) that possess an anal scent gland, powerful jaws, and large, heavy claws on their forefeet. Most species are brown, black, or gray, with markings on the face or body, and are found in South Asia.
