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Badger

Meles meles

Not yet photographed by the community

Nocturnal, powerfully built; lives in family setts.

Species Profile

Protected in the UK; not classified as threatened but subject to legal protection under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992.

Lifespan: 12–14 years in the wild, up to 16 years in captivity
Size & Weight: 60–90 cm body length; 24–36 kg
Habitat: Woodlands, grasslands, moorland, and agricultural areas with suitable sett sites, typically in banks, rocky outcrops, or under tree roots.
UK Distribution: Found throughout England, Wales, and Scotland (though less common in northern Scotland); resident year-round across the UK.
Diet: Omnivorous; earthworms (primary food source), small mammals, insects, carrion, fruits, and vegetation.
Prey: Earthworms, small rodents (voles, mice), insects (beetle larvae), amphibians, and occasionally young rabbits.
Predators: Few natural predators in the UK; young cubs vulnerable to foxes; vehicle strikes are a major cause of mortality.
Mating Season: February to March (delayed implantation; cubs born December to February)
Breeding: Litter size 1–5 cubs (average 3); gestation 12–13 weeks after implantation; cubs emerge from sett at 8–10 weeks; weaned by 12 weeks.
Behaviour: Primarily nocturnal and solitary outside breeding season; highly territorial with complex social hierarchies in setts. Live in underground burrow systems (setts) containing multiple chambers and entrances. Known for their strong odour from anal scent glands used for marking territory.

Did You Know?

•Badgers are one of the UK's most powerful diggers, with strong claws and muscular forelimbs capable of excavating extensive sett systems.
•A group of badgers is called a 'cete' and setts can contain multiple family groups comprising 2–15 individuals.
•Badgers have delayed implantation—mating occurs in spring but the embryo does not implant until later, allowing cubs to be born in winter.
•The white facial stripe is thought to serve as a warning signal to potential predators of their defensive capabilities.
•Badgers are a key host species for Mycobacterium bovis, the bacterium causing bovine tuberculosis, making them a focus of UK disease management programmes.

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