THE CHRONICLES OF THE NIGHT #2: THE BADGER

A GENTLE, UNLOVED CREATURE

We discover the badger, a mammal of the Mustelidae family, the cousin of weasels, minks, weasels and ermines.

The badger often has a bad reputation: a nuisance species, a carrier of disease, a destroyer of crops, etc. However, it is a peaceful, rather social animal.
It is present throughout Europe and lives in different types of environment, although it is more fond of closed environments (dense hedges, copses, forests, etc.), perhaps because of the pressure of hunting by man, which it has endured for thousands of years. It can also be found in mountainous areas. However, it is not shy and can be found in habitats near cities.

THE NOCTURNAL ENGINEER

This animal is essentially nocturnal; it sleeps during the day and is active at dusk. Although its eyesight is not excellent, it has an incredible sense of smell, 800 times more developed than ours, and a very fine sense of hearing! They spend a lot of time building and maintaining their burrows. It is also considered an engineering species, just like the beaver, because it modifies its environment by digging huge tunnels underground. It can move several tonnes of earth to dig its main burrow and associated 'chambers', which are connected by galleries. It can also take over the burrows of other species, such as the fox, with which it cohabits very well, and vice versa.

It is known to have latrines at the entrance of its burrows. These are holes where the droppings are located, which allows it to signal the limits of its territory and scare off predators. Like polecats, they have scent glands in their anal region which allow them to mark their territory.

The badger is omnivorous, feeding mainly on insects, earthworms, fruit and seeds, but also on small vertebrates, slugs and mushrooms. It adapts its diet according to the season, so it is carnivorous in spring and early summer and vegetarian in autumn and winter. Although it does not really hibernate, it drastically reduces its activity and stays in the burrow most of the cold season. Breeding begins in February. The badger can bear up to 5 young, but the average is 2 or 3.

A SPECIES STILL HUNTED

Unfortunately, the badger is still hunted in France and Germany, whereas it is protected in most other European countries.

Every year in France, 12,000 badgers are hunted underground, i.e. tracked in their burrows by hunting dogs and then brought outside to be killed, often in appalling conditions.

Digging up badgers is, for many, considered a barbaric and unnecessary practice. Indeed, while there were health concerns at one time, notably with the spread of rabies, this is no longer the case today as a vaccination (feeding) campaign has taken place. On the contrary, this practice forces badgers, humans and dogs together and can encourage the spread of diseases such as bovine tuberculosis. Crop damage is poorly quantified and most likely caused by species such as wild boar. Moreover, badgers are far from being overpopulated and a regulation of their numbers does not seem necessary.

To see the facetious badger in action at night, watch this incredible video from the Vies-à-vies channel:  References: