Staffordshire Badger Conservation Group

ALL ABOUT BADGERS

The European badger (meles meles) belongs to the family of mammals known as the mustelidae (possessing musk glands), otherwise known as the weasel family and includes the otter, stoat, polecat, ferret and pine marten.

The name badger is believed to come from the French word ‘becheur’, meaning digger.

Description

Black and white striped face and a thick short neck

Grey body with black fur on legs

Long wedge shaped body with a short tail (varying shapes)

Powerful front paws and long sharp claws

Small head, small eyes and poor sight

Large flexible nose and acute sense of smell

Strong powerful teeth

Small white-tipped external ears with acute hearing

Head/body length up to 30 inches

Average weight 8-9kg in spring.11-12kg in autumn

Males (boars) are slightly larger and heavier than females (sows)
Males have a more rounded and wider head while the female's head is narrower and more triangular.

Exceptions to the above are badgers which have slight genetic differences - red-haired - erythristic, white-haired - albino and melanistic - all black but these are rare.

For more information        

General Ecology

A nocturnal species rarely seen during the day. When not active, badgers usually lie up in an extensive system of underground tunnels and nesting chambers, known as a sett. Occasionally, when the weather is particularly hot, badgers may briefly come above ground during the daytime.  The badger’s most important food is earthworms which are caught on pastures or in deciduous woodland, especially on wet nights. Other foods include bulbs (though not bluebells as commonly thought), small mammals and young rabbits. Carrion is eaten by badgers living in upland areas, but predation on farm livestock is rare.  Blackberries and windfall apples are a major food source in the autumn. Cereals, particularly wheat, may be eaten, especially if other foods are in short supply.

Badgers live in social groups which may number up to 15 badgers headed up by a dominant male or female. Only one female badger in a social group normally breeds, although occasionally two or more may do so.  Mating takes place throughout the year but the embryo does not implant and start growing until winter. This phenomenon is termed “delayed implantation” and maximises the chance of successful mating.  Litters of two or three cubs are usually born in February. Cubs are born blind, pink with white silky fur and measure 5” long.  Their eyelids are fused and open at around 5 weeks. After being suckled underground for eight weeks, they start to emerge from the sett at the end of April – beginning of May. They do not become totally independent  from their mothers until 15 weeks old.

Badgers are widespread in Britain, but are most common in the south west of England, rare in East Anglia and only thinly distributed in Scotland.  It is estimated that the badger population numbers around 250,000.  Mortality is high, with around two thirds of cubs not reaching their first birthday and a third of adults dying each year.  Road traffic accidents account for more than 50% of all known deaths.  The maximum life expectancy of a badger is about 14 years, although very few survive so long.

Evidence for badgers - signs to look for

Badger setts are usually found in woodland where there is good cover and on sloping ground which has good drainage. Look out for

  Sett entrances shaped like a D on its side           .

             Spoil heaps and excavated stones outside sett entrances

                                                   Badger latrines            

         Well-worn badger paths

                                                                        Snuffle holes            

                  Badger hair on barbed wire

      Badger pawprints in mud or snow          

For advice about badgers in your garden see faq