Badgers are mammals known for their powerful digging. The eight species, or types, of badgers differ in color and size, but all belong to the weasel family. Another member of the weasel family, the ratel of Africa and Asia, is called a honey badger, but scientists do not consider it to be a true badger.

Where badgers live

Badgers live in grasslands and forests. They are found on all northern continents and on many islands. The American badger lives in the western part of North America, from Canada to Mexico. Its territory centers on the Great Plains. The Eurasian badger can be found across the entire length of Europe and Asia, from Great Britain to Japan. Other badgers, including the hog badger, three kinds of ferret badgers, and two kinds of stink badgers, live in Southeast Asia and the large islands nearby.

Physical features

Badgers are mostly medium-sized animals, heavily built with short legs. The American badger sometimes appears to be wider than it is tall. It is about 9 inches (23 centimeters) high and 17 to 30 inches (43 to 76 centimeters) in length, with a weight of 8 to 25 pounds (4 to 11 kilograms). Most of its coat is gray, but it has a blackish face and feet and a white stripe from its nose to its back. The Eurasian badger is the largest of the badgers. It weighs between 22 and 50 pounds (10 and 23 kilograms). It is grayish with large black-and-white stripes on its face. Other badgers also have fur patterns of black and white.

Behavior

Badgers have strong forefeet, and their claws are built for digging. The American badger is a faster digger than a human with a shovel. Badgers dig to get at the burrowing rodents and other underground creatures that they eat. Badgers sometimes eat birds and plants as well. They feed mainly at night.

Badgers also use their digging skills to make burrows for themselves. American badgers live alone in their burrows, but Eurasian badgers live in groups with extensive networks of homes and escape routes. Badgers do not hibernate through cold winters, but they do stay underground for long periods.

Badgers are strong for their size and can fight savagely when threatened. All badgers have scent glands near the tail, but the stink badgers are especially known for shooting a foul-smelling liquid at their enemies.

Reproduction

For most badgers, the time between mating and the birth of the young is quite long. In American badgers the period of pregnancy may be seven months or more, and in Eurasian badgers it may be almost an entire year. Litters consist of one to seven young. The young are raised in the burrow until they are several months old.

Badgers and humans

Badgers help humans by eating many rodent pests, which may carry disease or damage crops. But some people consider badgers to be pests, too, because their burrows can be a hazard to cattle and horses. Such large animals have been known to break legs by stepping into a badger hole.

In the past, badgers were a valuable source of fur. Badger fur has been used as a trim on many types of Native American clothing.