Temporal range: Mid-Pleistocene–Recent
|European badger range|
The European badger (Meles meles) is a species of badger. Its genus is Meles. It is native to almost all of Europe. It is classed as Least Concern for extinction by the IUCN because of its wide distribution and large population.
The European badger is a social, burrowing animal. It eats a wide variety of plants and animals. It is very fussy over the cleanliness of its burrow, and defecates in latrines. It is known of European badgers that they bury their dead family members. Although they are ferocious when provoked, the European badger is generally a peaceful animal. It has been known to share its burrows with other species such as rabbits, red foxes and raccoon dogs. Although it does not usually prey on domestic animals, the species is sometimes reported to damage livestock through spreading bovine tuberculosis.
Reference[change | change source]
- Kranz, A., Tikhonov, A., Conroy, J., Cavallini, P., Herrero, J., Stubbe, M., Maran, T., Fernades, M., Abramov, A. & Wozencraft, C. (2008). Meles meles. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2008. Retrieved on 21 March 2009. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern
Other websites[change | change source]
- ARKive Photographs and video
- Badgerland - The Definitive On-Line Guide to Badgers (Meles meles) in the UK
- Badgerwatcher.com - A guide to watching badgers in the UK
- Wildlifeonline - Natural History of the European Badger
- Lancashire Badger Group.
- Science & Nature: Animals, BBC.
- Badgers in the Netherlands, Badgergroup Brabant Foundation.
- Badger Survey in the Netherlands 2000-2001, The Census Foundation.
- Waarneming.nl Originally a Dutch site, but you can change language at the top of the page. Sightings, pictures and distribution maps of European badgers in the Netherlands.
- Badgers in France, L’assiociation Meles.
- A video of an adult european badger. This is a close up video showing their behaviour