©Mark Davison
European badger
Species information
Category
Statistics
Length: 75-100cmTail: 15cm
Weight: 8-12kg
Average lifespan: 5-8 years
Conservation status
When to see
January to DecemberAbout
The black-and-white striped badger is a well-known species in the UK. It is our largest land predator feeding on small mammals, birds’ eggs, worms, fruit and plants. Badgers live in large family groups in burrows under the ground called a ‘sett’. You know if a sett is lived in as it is usually neat and tidy with clean doorways marked with piles of used bedding (hay and leaves). There will also be a particularly smelly pit nearby that the badgers use as a toilet! They have strong front paws, which they use to dig for food. Cubs are born in January or February but spend the first few months underground only coming out in spring when it is a little warmer.How to identify
An unmistakable animal, the badger is large and grey, with a short, fluffy tail, black belly and paws, and a black-and-white striped face.Distribution
Found throughout England, Wales, Scotland (except for the far north) and Northern Ireland. Absent from Scottish islands, the Isle of Man, the Isles of Scilly and the Channel Islands.Did you know?
Badgers can eat several hundred earthworms a night! They are also one of the only predators of Hedgehogs - their thick skin and long claws help them to get past the vicious spines. If food is in short supply, Badgers will forage during the day, as well as at night. If there are Badgers nearby, you can tempt them into your garden by leaving peanuts out - a tasty snack for our striped friends.
Government gives badgers a reprieve
The Wildlife Trusts delighted that vaccination gets priority in the fight against bovine tuberculosis
Updated 6th September - Own goal: Government considering badger cull in new areas where they have funded successful vaccination programmes
The Wildlife Trusts call for national badger vaccination programme to help combat bTB as an alternative to culling.
The Wildlife Trusts call for more investment in badger vaccination
The Wildlife Trusts' response to new figures released by the government.
How people can help
The Wildlife Trusts believe that the scientific evidence available does not support a cull (it would not decrease incidences of bTB transmission from badgers to cattle, but would simply disperse badger populations to the detriment of the countryside). Instead, we are urging for vaccinations against bTB to be the way forward. You can help by supporting The Wildlife Trusts and our campaign - from becoming a member, to contacting your local MP, there are lots of ways you can get involved.