Badger Mini Friend 10 cm - Stuffed Toy

Physical Characteristics
The badger is instantly recognizable by its striking black and white striped face and squat, lumbering body. Average length 30 inches long. Weight 6-14kg. Estimated population approx 300,000 in England.

Habitat
Badgers live in most of Europe, Asia and Japan. Badgers live in underground setts containing large tunnel networks involving the excavation of tons of earth. They are generally found in woods, copses, hedgerows, quarries, moorlands and open fields.

Behaviour
Badgers are Nocturnal. The behaviour of badgers differs by family, but all shelter underground, living in burrows called setts. Some are solitary, moving from home to home, while others are known to form clans. Clan size is variable from 2 to 15. Badgers are fierce animals and will protect themselves and their young at all costs. Surprisingly Badgers can run at up to 25-30 km per hour for short periods of time.

Breeding
The mating process of Badgers involves a process called 'delayed implantation'. Although females are able to mate any time after the cubs are born, the fertilised egg does not implant in the uterus until December. Badger cubs are normally born in February, the number of cubs usually being between one and three. Cubs emerge about May after spending the first 8-10 weeks underground.

Diet
The sense of smell is the most important of the badgers senses. Badgers forage for food with their snouts constantly sniffing the ground ahead of them. Badgers are omnivorous and will eat a wide variety of foods, although their main diet consists of earthworms, up to 200 per day.

Strange and Interesting Facts
Badgers are closely related to otters, stoats, weasels, polecats and pine martens. An older , old English / Celtic name for a badger is a Brock, though it is thought that the name Badger comes from French name 'becheur' meaning digger.