Creature Day....European Badger

 

Another cold start on this Tuesday morning and of course it is creature day and today's creature is the European Badger.

Like bears this badger hibernates in winter, settling into burrows to wait out the big chill. They put on large amounts of body fat during the summer which nourishes them throughout the cold dark months underground.

Up to 12 animals might cram into a den, which is a series of tunnels running off it to above ground openings.

With a head of black, white and sliver fur this kindly creature is a lover not a fighter sharing its burrow with other animals, including rabbits, red foxes and raccoon dogs.

European badgers have few natural enemies. While normally docile, badgers can become extremely aggressive and ferocious when cornered, making it dangerous for predators to target them.

European folklore and fairy tales are filled with badgers although they are usually not friendly as in the Wind in the Willows that has Mr Badger as a grumpy fellow who simple hates society. In Beatrix Potter's book The Tale of Mr Tod the badger is evil.

The males are called “boars” and females are called “sows”, the word badger comes from the French word “becheur” which means “digger”. They don't like to bring food into their setts because the like to keep it clean. A group of badgers is called a cete.