badger

Large mammal of the weasel family with molar teeth of a crushing type adapted to a partly vegetable diet, and short strong legs with long claws suitable for digging. The Eurasian common badger Meles meles is about 1 m/3 ft long, with long, coarse, greyish hair on the back, and a white face with a broad black stripe along each side. Mainly a woodland animal, it is harmless and nocturnal, and spends the day in a system of burrows called a ‘sett’. Earthworms make up 90% of the badger's diet but it also feeds on roots, a variety of fruits and nuts, insects, mice, and young rabbits.

The Eurasian badger lives for up to 15 years. It mates February to March, and again July to September if the earlier mating has not resulted in fertilization. Implantation of the blastocyst (early embryo) is however delayed until December. Cubs are born January to March, and remain below ground for eight weeks. They remain with the sow at least until autumn.

The American badger Taxidea taxus is slightly smaller than the Eurasian badger, and lives in open country in North America. Various species of hog badger, ferret badger, and stink badger occur in South and East Asia, the last having the well-developed anal scent glands characteristic of the weasel family.