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.

European Badger (Meles meles)
European Badger (Meles meles)

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