Badger

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Biography

Badgers are short-legged omnivore s in the weasel family (biology)|family , Mustelidae . There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies (see links in #Classification|species list below): Melinae (badgers of Europe and Asia ), Mellivorinae (the Ratel or honey badger), and Taxideinae (the American badger ). The Asia tic Javan stink badger|stink badgers of the genus Mydaus were formerly included in the Melinae and Mustelidae, but recent genetic evidence indicates that these are actually members of the skunk family, placing them in the taxonomic family Mephitidae.

Badgers include the species in the genus|genera Meles , Arctonyx , Taxidea and Mellivora species. Their mandible|lower jaw is articulated to the upper by means of a transverse Mandibular condyle|condyle firmly locked into a long cavity of the skull|cranium , so that dislocation of the jaw is all but impossible. This enables the badger to maintain its hold with the utmost tenacity, but limits its jaw movement to hinging open and shut, or sliding from side to side without the twisting movement possible for the jaws of most mammal s.

Badgers have rather short, fat bodies, with short legs built for digging. Their ears are small, and they have elongated weasel-like heads, their tails vary in length depending on species, the stink badger has a very short tail, while the ferret badger's tail can be long, depending on age. They have black faces with distinctive white markings, their bodies are gray with a light colored stripe from their head to their tail, they have dark legs with light colored stomachs. They grow to around in length including tail. the European badger is one of the largest, the American badger, the hog badger and the honey badger are similar in size and weight, though generally a little smaller and lighter. The stink badgers are smaller still, and the ferret badgers are the smallest of all. They weigh around on average, with some Eurasian badgers weighing in at around .

Etymology

The word badger originally applied to the European badger ( Meles meles ). Its derivation (linguistics)|derivation is uncertain. It possibly comes from the French language|French word bêcheur (digger).Ernest G. Neal, C. L. Cheeseman (1996) Badgers , p. 2, T. & A.D. Poyser ISBN 0856610828 The Oxford English Dictionary states it probably derives from badge + -ard , referring to the white mark borne like a badge on its forehead. It is possibly related to the Romanian language|Romanian viezure ("badger"), a word of uncertain etymology, believed to be inherited from Dacian language|Dacian / Thracian language|Thracian and related to the Albanian language|Albanian vjedhullë ("badger", "thief") and vjeth ("to steal"), and the Slavic languages|Slavic jazvru (" hedgehog "; cf. Serbian language|Serbian jazavac "badger").Sorin Mihai Olteanu, (Accessed: April 3rd, 2010).The Romanian Etymological Dictionary. Online at The less common name brock ( Old English : brocc ), ( Scots Language|Scots : brock ) is a Celtic languages|Celtic loanword (cf. Goidelic languages|Gaelic broc and Welsh language|Welsh broch , from Proto-Celtic *brokko ) meaning grey . The Proto-Germanic term was *þahsu- (cf. German language|German Dachs , Dutch language|Dutch das , Norwegian language|Norwegian svin- toks ; Early Modern English : dasse ), probably from the Proto-Indo-European language|PIE root (linguistics)|root ''*tek'- "to construct," so that the badger would have been named after its digging of sett s (tunnels).

A male badger is a boar, a female is a sow and a young badger is a cub. A collective name suggested for a group of badgers is a cete, Retrieved 28 June 2010. but badger colonies are more often called clans. Badger dens are called setts.

Classification

The following list shows where the various species with the common name of badger are placed in the Mustelidae classification. The list is polyphyletic and the species commonly called badgers do not, if the stink badgers are included, form a valid clade .

Family Mustelidae

* Subfamily Melinae

** Genus † Enhydritherium

*** Giant Florida sea otter, Enhydritherium terraenovae

** Genus † Satherium

*** Satherium piscinarium (Hagerman's Otter)

** ' Genus Melogale

*** Burmese ferret-badger , Melogale personata

*** Javan ferret-badger , Melogale orientalis

*** Chinese ferret-badger , Melogale moschata

*** Bornean ferret-badger , Melogale everetti

*** Vietnam ferret-badger , Melogale cucphuongensis

** ' Genus Meles

*** Japanese badger , Meles anakuma

*** Asian badger , Meles leucurus

*** European badger , Meles meles

* Subfamily Mellivorinae

** Honey badger or Ratel, Mellivora capensis

* Subfamily Taxideinae :

** † Chamitataxus avitus

** † Pliotaxidea nevadensis

** † Pliotaxidea garberi

** American badger , Taxidea taxus

* Subfamily Mustelinae

** Includes: weasels, martens, polecats and allies

Family Mephitidae

* ' Genus Mydaus

** Indonesian or Sunda stink badger (teledu), Mydaus javanensis

** Palawan stink badger , Mydaus marchei

Distribution

Badgers are found in much of North America , Ireland , Great Britain Sleeman, D.P., Davenport, J., Cussen.R.E. and Hammond, R.F. 2009. The small-bodied badgers ( Meles meles (L.) of Rutland Island, Co. Donegal. Ir. Nat. J. 30 : 1–6.) and most of Europe as far as southern Scandinavia .Brink van den, F.H. 1967. A Field Guide to the Mammals of Britain and Europe . Collins, London. They live as far east as Japan and China . The Javan ferret-badger lives in Indonesia , Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of data deficient and the Bornean ferret-badger lives in Malaysia . Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of data deficient. The honey badger is found in most of Sub-Saharan Africa , the Arabian Desert , southern Levant , Turkmenistan , and India . Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern.

Behavior

The behavior of badgers differs by family, but all shelter underground, living in burrows called setts, which may be very extensive. Some are solitary, moving from home to home, while others are known to form clans. Group size measures|Clan size is variable from 2 to 15. Badgers can be fierce animals and will protect themselves and their young at all costs. Badgers are capable of fighting off much larger animals such as wolves and bear s. Badgers can run or gait|gallop at up to for short periods of time.

In North America, coyote s sometimes eat badgers and vice versa, but the majority of their interactions seem to be mutual or neutral.Kiliaan HPL, Mamo C, Paquet PC (1991) A Coyote, Canis latrans , and Badger, Taxidea taxus , interaction near Cypress Hills Provincial Park, Alberta. Canadian Field Naturalist 105 : 122–12 American badger s and coyotes have been seen hunting together in a cooperative fashion.Cahalane VH (1950) Badger-coyote "partnerships." Journal of Mammalogy 31 : 354–355

Diet

The diet of the Eurasian badger consists largely of earthworm s, insect s, and Larva|grubs . They also eat small mammals, amphibian s, reptile s and bird s as well as root s and fruit . Indeed, in southern Spain, badgers mostly feed on rabbits. The honey badger of Africa consumes honey , porcupines and even venomous snakes (such as the Bitis arietans|puff adder ). They will climb trees to gain access to honey from bees' nests. American badger s are fossorial carnivore s. Unlike many carnivores that stalk their prey in open country, badgers catch most of their food by digging. They can tunnel after ground-dwelling rodents with amazing speed.

Badgers have been known to become intoxicated with ethanol|alcohol after eating rotting fruit.. Google.com (2009-07-08). Retrieved on 2011-11-07.

Humans

Hunting badgers is common in many countries. Manipulating the badger population is prohibited in many European countries as badgers are listed in the Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats|Berne Convention , but they are not otherwise the subject of any international treaty or legislation.

The blood sport of badger-baiting was outlawed in the United Kingdom by the Cruelty to Animals Act 1835 as well as the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 which makes it a serious offense to kill, injure or take a badger, or to damage or interfere with a sett unless a license is obtained from a statutory authority. An exemption that allowed fox hunt ers to loosely block setts to prevent chased foxes escaping into them was brought to an end with the passage of the Hunting Act 2004 .

Many badgers in Europe were gassed during the 1960s and 1970s to control rabies . Until the 1980s, gassing was also practiced in the United Kingdom|UK to control the spread of Tuberculosis#Animals|bovine TB . However, in December 2011 it was announced that in the following year, badger culling was to be undertaken once more in order to prevent the spread of Bovine TB. This was met with distaste by opponents who suggested a vaccination programme.

The dachshund dog breed has a history with badgers; " European badger|dachs " is the German language|German word for badger, and dachshunds were originally bred to be badger hounds.

Commercial use

Today badgers are commercially raised for their hair, which is harvested to make Shave brush|shaving brushes . Virtually all commercial badger hair comes from mainland China, which supplies knots of hair in three grades to brush makers in both China and Europe. In rural Northern China, badgers multiply to the point of becoming a crop nuisance, and village cooperatives are licensed by the national government to hunt badgers and process their hair. The hair is also used for paint brushes, and was used as a trim on Native American garments. It has been used in some instances as doll hair.

Food

Although rarely eaten today in the United States or the United Kingdom, badger was once one of the main meat sources in the diets of Native Americans and white colonists. Badgers were also eaten in Britain during the World War II|Second World War and the 1950s.

In Russia , the consumption of badger meat is still widespread. Shish kebab s made from badger, along with dog meat and pork, are cited as a major source of trichinellosis outbreaks in the Altai Region|Altai region of Russia. Consumption of badger meat also occurs in other European countries such as Croatia , where it is used in a variation of the traditional dish of goulash . In contrast to Russia, there are no reports of trichinellosis related to the consumption of badger meat. This is credited to adequate preparation of the meat and good thermal processing of it.

In France, badger meat was used in the preparation of several dishes, such as Blarieur au sang and it was a relatively common ingredient in countryside cuisine. Parts of it online at Badger meat was eaten in some parts of Spain until recently Some Asian countries have traditions of consuming badger meat. In Japan, it is mentioned in folktales where it is regarded as a food for the humble. Also, in northern China, badgers are consumed but in low numbers.

Popular culture

Badger characters are featured in author Brian Jacques ' Redwall series, most often falling under the title of Badger Lord or Badger Mother , and the 19th century poem "The Badger" by John Clare describes a badger hunt and badger-baiting . The character Frances in Russell Hoban 's children's books is depicted as a badger. A badger god is featured in The Immortals (series)| The Immortals by Tamora Pierce and "The Badger" is a comic book hero created by Mike Baron .

Many other stories featuring badgers as characters include Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Mr. Tod (Tommy Brock), the Rupert Bear adventures by Mary Tourtel, Prince Caspian (Trufflehunter) by C. S. Lewis, Kenneth Grahame 's The Wind in the Willows , T. H. White 's The Once and Future King and The Book of Merlyn , Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl , Colin Dann 's The Animals of Farthing Wood (book)|The Animals of Farthing Wood , Richard Adams 's Watership Down and Erin Hunter 's Warriors (novel series)|Warriors . In the Harry Potter books, the official mascot of the Hogwarts house of Hufflepuff is the badger, featuring this animal in the house's coat of arms as well as in the entire schools. The Hufflepuff common room has little underground tunnels leading to the dormitories, all of which have perfectly round doors, like barrel tops (much like a badger sett ). In The Incident at Hawks Hill by Allan W. Eckert a badger is one of the main characters.

Badgers are also featured in films and animations: a flash video of " Badger Badger Badger|The Badger Song " shows a group doing calisthenics ; in Pokémon , Typhlosion and Linoone are based on badgers. Walt Disney 's 1973 film Robin Hood (1973 film)| Robin Hood , depicts the character of Friar Tuck as a badger.

In Japanese folklore, the Meles anakuma|badger is a wild creature that sometimes appears as a mischievous being.Jeremy Roberts: Japanese Mythology A to Z, 2nd edition, 2010. ISBN 978-1-60413-435-3. In Europe, badgers were traditionally used to predict the length of winter.Yoder, Don, Groundhog Day. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2003 ISBN 0-8117-0029-1 The badger is both the state animal of the U.S. state of Wisconsin . Dnr.wi.gov. Retrieved on 2011-11-07. and the mascot of the University of Wisconsin 's athletic teams. The badger is also the official mascot of Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

In 2007, suggestions that British forces deliberately released killer badger|man-eating badgers near Basra , Iraq, to intimidate the local population were refuted.

Badgers are found in the game Dwarf Fortress , are found in groups of three to six, are extremely quick, and are prone to rage. Dwarves may like them for their underground communities and their striped faces.

Notes

External links

Category:Badgers|Badgers

ar:????
an:Teixudo
ast:Melandru
ca:Toixó
cs:Jezevec
da:Grævlinger
de:Dachse
el:?sß??
es:Tejón
fa:?????
fr:Melinae
gv:Brock
ko:?????
hr:Jazavci
it:Meles meles
lv:Apši
hu:Borzformák
mk:???????
my:???????????
nl:Dassen
ja:??????
pl:Borsuk
pt:Texugo
ru:????????
fi:Mäyrä
sv:Grävlingar
chr:???
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