Reproduction

Mating will take place year round but birthing occurs between January and February. Females can mate with multiple males during the breeding season and this can create litters with multiple fathers.

Females create a nest inside their sett which is lined with grass, leaves or moss.

1-6 young will be born after a 9-12 month gestation period. This may include a period of delayed implantation where the egg is fertilized but not implanted immediately.

The young are suckled for the next 10 weeks.

Sexual maturity is reached between 1 and 2 years old.

Behavior

In the northern parts of their range the European badger will hibernate over winter.

These animals are primarily nocturnal.

European badgers are social creatures sharing their burrows, known as setts with up to six other individuals. Typically a male, known as a boar, is dominant within each sett.

The group maintain their territory and defend it against invasion by other badger clans.

Close to their burrow a group of European badgers will maintain a pit which is used as a toilet by the whole group.

Members of the clan will press their tails to one another and rub scent from their glands on one another so that all members of the group share a common odor.

Predators and Threats

European badgers are recorded to be declining through agricultural areas as they lose suitable habitat.

In parts of their range they may be hunted for consumption or use in traditional medicines.

There may be some competition with the introduced racoon dog for resources.

Diseases such as rabies and bovine TB have led to large declines in their populations but this threat appears to be decreasing.

They may also be killed by vehicle strikes.

Current IUCN Red List Status - Least Concern

Quick facts

Badgers have one of the strongest jaws of any mammal. This is a result of their inability to dislocate their jaw.

The European badger is the largest land predator in the United Kingdom.

European badgers may also be referred to as the Eurasian badger.