European badger - Meles meles

European Badger (Meles meles)

The European badger (Meles meles) is a mammal that belongs to the family Mustelidae, which also includes otters, weasels and wolverines. The European badger is native to most of Europe and parts of Asia. It is a nocturnal and social animal that lives in underground burrows called setts. The European badger has a distinctive black and white striped face, a grey body, a short tail and powerful claws for digging.

The European badger is omnivorous, meaning it eats both plants and animals. Its diet consists mainly of earthworms, insects, small mammals, fruits and roots. The European badger can store fat in its body and hibernate during the winter months. The European badger is usually solitary or lives in small groups of up to six individuals. However, in some areas, such as the United Kingdom, the European badger can form larger social groups of up to 30 individuals. These groups are called clans and have a complex social structure and hierarchy.

The European badger is a protected species in most of its range and is threatened by habitat loss, road accidents, persecution and disease.

Badger culling in the United Kingdom

Table of badger cull figures 2013 to 2022 (source: The Badger Trust)

Controlled shooting	%	Cage trapping	%	Total
2013	903	48.13	655	34.91	1876
2014	313	50.89	302	49.11	615
2015	743	50.65	724	49.35	1467
2016	5667	52.06	5219	47.94	10,886
2017	11,834	60.57	7703	39.43	19,537
2018	20,905	63.48	12,029	36.52	32,934
2019	24,645	70.35	10,389	29.65	35,034
2020	31,838	77.86	9054	22.14	40,892
2021	29,544	87.70	4143	12.30	33,687
2022	29,574	87.95	4035	12.05	33,627
Total					210,555

See also

• Badger
• Category: Mustelidae