| Badgers are closely related to
otters, stoats, weasels, polecats and pine martens.
They are largely nocturnal, normally shy, retiring animals
that live in social or family groups.
A badger's home is called a sett. The sett is an underground
home, often with a labyrinth of tunnels involving the excavation
of tons of earth.
An adult can grow up to 36" long and usually weighs
from 22 to 27 lbs.
Badger prints are broader than they are long with five toes
and five long, non-retractable powerful claws that they use
for digging.
The sense of smell is the most important of the badgers senses.
Badgers forage for food with their snouts constantly sniffing
the ground ahead of them.
Badgers are omnivorous and will eat a wide variety of foods,
although their main diet consists of earthworms, up to 200
per day.
Badgers are less active during winter months but they do
not hibernate.
The mating process involves "delayed implantation".
Although females are able to mate any time after the cubs
are born the fertilised egg does not implant in the uterus
until December.
Badger cubs are normally born in February, the number of
cubs usually being between one and three. Cubs emerge about
May after spending the first 8-10 weeks underground.
Badgers are gorgeous!
The main enemy of badgers is
mankind. Acts of Parliament make it illegal for any
person to kill, or injure badgers, (but see below).
Note:- Britain's badger setts are regularly
monitored by police and volunteers.
|
 |
 8th June 2004
The recent quotes are from the Lancashire Badger Group press articles. Many people are not aware of why badgers need so much legal protection, but these comments highlight just some of the cruelty issues.
The Mid Sussex Badger Protection Group, says - "Badger baiting is a thoroughly brutal sport. It's hard to believe that this kind of thing goes on in the 21st Century. During the fights, badgers are pitted against dogs and bets are placed on, for example, which dog will be bitten first. People spend the evening tormenting the animals. Badgers have the fiercest bite of any animal of their size. They often have their tail or feet nailed to the floor to even up the fight."
and ... from the RSPCA - "Inspectors regularly get calls about badger baiting and we know fighting goes on. It's extremely barbaric. The badgers are literally torn to pieces and the dogs are often left with horrific injuries. One of the problems is that the dogs aren't taken to vets in case they find out about the fighting. Owners try to treat the dogs themselves and can't so they are just left injured."
Badger groups urge people to look for setts, notice if anything changes and report it to their local Badger Group. Steve Jackson's badger pages advise on what to do if you witness the persecution of badgers.
See also - | Badger baiting - © the Rochdale Observer 13th Oct. 2004 |
These wonderful
animals have
been persecuted for centuries. No wonder badgers have a natural fear
of man. |
