Badgers have a small head, a short, thick neck, short tail and small eyes
Badgers have a distinctive black and white striped head and white fur on the end of their ears.
Length is up to 29 1/2" from head to tail – with a 6" tail
Badgers weigh between 8 and 10 kgs but male badgers are slightly larger than females
The Eurasian/European badger is indigenous to most of Western Europe and many parts of Asia.
Lifecycle
Badgers mate throughout the year but fertilized eggs remain suspended in the uterus until winter when they implant on to the womb and continue development normally.
After implanting on to the womb gestation is 6 to 7 weeks
The size of a Badger's litter ranges from 1 – 5 but is usually 2 or 3
Badger cubs are suckled underground for up to 8 weeks and only emerge in Spring.
Cubs are weaned at twelve weeks.
Female badgers reach sexual maturity after 12-15 months but male badgers do not sexually mature until their second year
Although the usual life span of a badger should be between 12 and 15 years many die prematurely through disease, dehydration in dry weather and human influences
Habits
Badgers are omnivores and earthworms are their staple diet. They also eat beetles, slugs, insect larvae, mice, fruit and many plant bulbs.
Badgers are nocturnal and only emerge at dusk to forage for food.
They live in 'Setts' with several adult males and females and one or two litters
Some setts may have been used by several generations of badgers resulting in multiple entrances and chambers and have been known to cover large tracts of land
Badgers do not hibernate in winter but do become less active.
Both the badger and its sett are protected by law in some countries.