Badger Biology and Species Information

Family, Appearance and Lifestyle     

The Eurasian badger is the largest member of the Mustelid family, which includes stoats, weasels, mink and otters in the UK. The badger is very distinctive, with a white face with broad black stripes, a stout body, coarse fur and short legs. It is poorly adapted for hunting, despite being Britain’s largest carnivore.

Badgers are one of the few social carnivores, displaying complex cooperative behaviour and forming social groups of up to 23 individuals (although usually much smaller than this, with average group sizes of around five). It is thought that this social behaviour allows irregularly dispersed food resources to be adequately protected and exploited.

Range, Habitat, Territory and Home

Badgers are found throughout mainland Britain and Ireland but only patchily in the north of Scotland. They are more common in the west than the east and one third of British badgers live in the south west of England. A system of mixed farming appears to suit badgers best because it provides a regular and plentiful food supply. In good quality habitat they can live on home ranges as small as 14 ha although an average of 50 ha is about right. Social groups of badgers excavate extensive underground dens (setts) which provide shelter and protection. These may be dug in woodland, hedgerows, under buildings and in a variety of urban locations. In areas of high food availability most activity is concentrated around the main sett, but in areas of scattered resources a number of smaller setts will be more commonly used across the territory, with foraging becoming more nomadic.

Activity and Social System

Activity varies throughout the year but badgers tend to be most active at dawn and dusk. During periods of severe weather, or following disturbance, badgers may remain in the sett and not emerge at all. Badgers do not hibernate, but, during the winter, badgers can lower their body temperatures and reduce activities for up to a week without foraging.

Food

Although considered carnivores, the diet of badgers is largely omnivorous. Earthworms are the most frequent constituent in England but large insects, small mammals, birds, amphibians, cereals, fruit and carrion are also frequently taken.

Breeding

A sow badger’s first mating usually occurs at between 12 and 15 months and, as badgers display delayed implantation and, although mating occurs mainly between February and May, sows do not become pregnant until December. Births take place from January to March, but mainly in early February, and occur in a well insulated underground chamber. Litter sizes are up to five cubs which remain below ground until approximately 8 weeks old. The average litter size is three, of which only one is likely to survive the first year. It is usual for only one female in a social group to produce cubs, with subordinates either failing to implant or abandoning their cubs at birth. 

Threats

Badgers have no predators in the UK but persecution and conflict with humans can affect them. The major cause of badger deaths is road traffic accidents but, although protected by law, digging and baiting, shooting and gassing of badgers still occurs occasionally. 

Further reading

Michael Woods (1995). The Badger. The Mammal Society.

Gordon B. Corbet and Stephen Harris (1991). The Handbook of British Mammals (3rd ed.). Blackwell Scientific Publications.

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