Binomial name: Meles meles
Basic characteristics
• Body: Heavily built with coarse and rough hair with a relatively short tail. Its feet are short and stubby with long claws adapted for burrowing.
• Color: Upper part is grizzled grey. The head is characterized by two longitudinal black stripes beginning at the muzzle and broadening posterior with a median white stripe. Underpart and legs are very dark black.
• Size: Shoulder height 65-80 cm.
• Weight: 10-34 Kg.
• Dropping: Dry and sausage-shaped, or soft and runny, depending on the diet. Contains insect remains, fur from small rodents, seeds and berries.
Behavior
It digs for most of its food with its long, powerful claws on its front feet. Badgers excavate large and often complex burrow systems, frequently among tree roots and often on slopping ground. Their family groups are called clans. They are nocturnal, but will lie outside den entrances during the day. Druting severe weather, such as snow storms the may remain in their dens for weeks and even months.
Feeding habits: Earthworms, small rodents, rats, moles, fruits and bird's eggs.
Natural predator(s)
• Humans • Jackals • Wolves
• Hyenas •