Badger

Our biggest land predator in the UK can weigh up to a hefty 12KG and lives 5 - 8 years.

Badgers have very bad eyesight but an excellent sense of smell, which helps them sniff out bugs and earthworms; their main diet.  They use their long sharp claws to dig up hundreds of worms every night. They also have very sharp hearing that helps alert them to any danger . Badgers will also eat birds' eggs, fruit and other plants - and the occasional hedgehog.  If you are lucky enough to have a badger sett nearby, treat them to peanuts, peanut butter sandwiches or chicken eggs.

Our black & white-faced friends live underground in a sett, often  in large family groups. They spend most of the day cleaning out old bedding and replacing it with fresh; the rest of their time will be spent grooming themselves, which strengthens the family bond.
Badger cubs are born in January/February. They have a litter of 1 - 5 cubs but the average is 2 - 3

Our lovely badgers are supposed to be a protected species under both The Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 and the Protection of Badgers act 1992 but have been blamed for spreading TB to farm cattle. This has not actually been proven; nevertheless, a cull has  been ordered which makes the future of this amazing animal very uncertain.

For more information, head over to the Badger Trust, a Brighton based charity that exists to promote and enhance the welfare, conservation and protection of badgers, their setts, and their habitats.

News and updates on their Facebook page