Badger 290462 225758332 2008-07-15T07:25:20Z Ahoerstemeier 7580 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/62.69.198.100|62.69.198.100]] ([[User talk:62.69.198.100|talk]]) to last version by Treecko {{Refimprove|date=November 2007}} {{otheruses}} {{Taxobox | name = Badgers | image = AmericanBadger.JPG | image_width = 280px | image_caption = [[American Badger]] | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordata]] | classis = [[Mammal]]ia | ordo = [[Carnivora]] | familia = [[Mustelidae]] | subfamilia = '''[[Melinae]]'''<br>'''[[Mellivorinae]]'''<br>'''[[Taxidiinae]]''' | subdivision_ranks = [[Genus|Genera]] | subdivision = &nbsp;''[[Arctonyx]]''<br> &nbsp;''[[Melogale]]''<br> &nbsp;''[[Meles (genus)|Meles]]''<br> &nbsp;''[[Mellivora]]''<br> &nbsp;''[[Taxidea]]''}} '''Badger''' is the [[common name]] for any animal of three subfamilies, which belong to the family [[Mustelidae]]: the same [[mammal]] [[family (biology)|family]] as the [[ferret]]s, the [[weasel]]s, the [[otter]]s, and several other types of [[Carnivora|carnivore]]. There are eight [[species]] of badger, in three subfamilies: Melinae (badgers of Europe and Asia &ndash; see links in [[#Classification|species list]] below), Mellivorinae (the [[Ratel]] or honey badger), and Taxideinae (the [[American Badger|American badger]]). The Asiatic [[Javan Stink Badger|stink badgers]] of the genus ''Mydaus'' were formerly included in the Melinae, but recent genetic evidence indicates that these are actually Old World relatives of the [[skunk]]s (family Mephitidae). Typical badgers (''Meles'', ''Arctonyx'', ''Taxidea'' and ''Mellivora'' species) are short-legged and heavy-set. The [[mandible|lower jaw]] is articulated to the upper by means of a transverse [[Mandibular condyle|condyle]] firmly locked into a long cavity of the [[skull|cranium]], so that dislocation of the jaw is all but impossible. This enables the badger to maintain its hold with the utmost tenacity, but limits the jaw movement to [[hinge joint|hinging]] open and shut or sliding from side to side. ==Etymology== The name ''badger'' is possibly [[derivation (linguistics)|derived]] from the French word ''blaireau'' being used in both senses. But more likely, the term comes from the French word ''bêcheur'' (digger), introduced during [[William the Conqueror]]'s reign.<ref>BBC Natural World, 2008, Badgers: Secrets of the Sett</ref> An older term for "badger" is ''brock'' ([[Old English]] ''brocc''), a [[Celtic languages|Celtic]] [[loanword]] ([[Goidelic languages|Gaelic]] ''broc'', [[Welsh language|Welsh]] ''broch'', from [[Proto-Celtic]] ''*brokko''). The [[Proto-Germanic]] term was ''*þahsu-'' ([[German language|German]] ''Dachs''), probably from the [[Proto-Indo-European language|PIE]] [[root (linguistics)|root]] ''*tek'-'' "to construct," so that the badger would have been named after its digging of [[sett]]s (tunnels). A male badger is a '''boar''', a female a '''sow''' and a young badger is a '''cub'''. The collective name for a group of badgers is a [[clan]], [[colony]], or ''cete''. ==Classification== *'''Family Mustelidae''' ** (Subfamily [[Otter|Lutrinae]]: otters) ** '''Subfamily Melinae''' *** [[Hog Badger]], ''Arctonyx collaris'' *** [[Melogale|Burmese Ferret Badger]], ''Melogale personata'' *** [[Melogale|Oriental Ferret Badger]], ''Melogale orientalis'' *** [[Chinese Ferret Badger]], ''Melogale moschata'' *** [[Everett's Ferret Badger]], ''Melogale everetti'' *** [[Eurasian Badger]], ''Meles meles'' ** '''Subfamily Mellivorinae''' *** [[Ratel]] or Honey Badger, ''Mellivora capensis'' ** '''Subfamily Taxideinae''': *** †''[[Chamitataxus avitus]]'' *** †''Pliotaxidea nevadensis'' *** †''Pliotaxidea garberi'' *** [[American Badger]], ''Taxidea taxus'' ** (Subfamily [[Mustelinae]]: weasels, martens, polecats and allies) *'''Family Mephitidae''' ** Indonesian or [[Javan Stink Badger]] (Teledu), ''Mydaus javanensis'' ** [[Palawan Stink Badger]], ''Mydaus marchei'' ==Behavior== The behavior of badgers differs by family, but all shelter underground, living in burrows called [[sett]]s. Some are solitary, moving from home to home, while others are known to form clans. [[Group size measures|Clan size]] is variable between 2 to 15. Badgers are fierce animals and will protect themselves and their young at all costs. Badgers are capable of fighting off much larger animals such as [[wolves]], [[coyote]]s and [[bear]]s. Badgers can run or gallop at up to 25-30 km per hour for short periods of time. ==Diet== [[Image:Badger.jpg|left|thumb|American badger.]] North [[American Badger]]s (Taxidea taxus) are [[omnivores]] and prey predominantly on [[pocket gophers]] ([[Geomyidae]]), ground [[squirrels]] (''[[Spermophilus]]''), [[Mole (animal)|moles]] ([[Talpidae]]), [[marmots]] (''[[Marmota]]''), [[prairie dogs]] (''[[Cynomys]]''), [[pack rat|woodrats]] (''[[Neotoma]]''), [[kangaroo rat]]s (''[[Dipodomys]]''), [[deer mice]] (''[[Peromyscus]]''), and [[voles]] (''[[Microtus]]''). They also prey on ground-nesting birds (such as [[bank swallow|bank swallow or sand martin]] ''Riparia riparia'' and [[burrowing owl]] ''Athene cunicularia''), [[lizards]], [[amphibians]], [[carrion]], [[fish]], [[skunks]] (''[[Mephitis]]'' and ''[[Spilogale]]''), [[insects]], including [[bees]] and [[honeycomb]], and some plant foods, such as [[corn]] (maize, ''Zea mais''), peas, green beans, [[mushrooms]] and other fungi, and [[sunflower seeds]] (''Helianthus''). Unlike many carnivores that stalk their prey in open country, badgers catch most of their food by digging. They can tunnel after ground dwelling rodents with amazing speed. They have been known to cache food. The [[honey badger]] consumes [[honey]], [[porcupines]] and even venomous [[snakes]] (such as the [[Bitis arietans|puff adder]]). They will climb trees to gain access to honey from bees' nests. [[Image:badger8.jpg|right|thumb|Badger foraging at night.]] The diet of the [[Eurasian badger]] consists largely of [[earthworm]]s, [[insect]]s, and [[grub]]s. They also eat small mammals, [[amphibian]]s, [[reptile]]s and [[bird]]s as well as [[cereal]]s, [[root]]s and [[fruit]].<ref>[http://www.badgerecology.org/BEdiet.htm Diet of the Eurasian badger]</ref> [[Image:badger delete1.jpg|left|thumb|Eurasian badger.]] ==Badgers and humans== Many badgers in [[Europe]] were gassed during the 1960s and 1970s to control [[rabies]]. Until the 1980s, gassing was also practiced in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] to control the spread of [[Tuberculosis#Animals|bovine TB]]. [[Scandinavia]]n custom is to put eggshells in one's boots when walking through badger territory, as badgers are believed to bite down until they can hear a crunch. Hunting badgers is common in many countries, either as a perceived [[pest (animal)|pest]], or for [[sport]]. Roaming badgers may not be killed, nor their setts interfered with, except on licence from the government. Ostensibly badgers are protected in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] by the [[Protection of Badgers Act 1992]]. (Otherwise an exemption allowing [[fox hunt]]ers to loosely block setts to prevent chased foxes escaping into them was brought to an end with the passage of the [[Hunting Act 2004]]). Meddling in badger population is prevented as badgers are listed in the [[Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats|Berne Convention]] (Appendix III), but they are not otherwise the subject of any international treaty or legislation. :''See [[Eurasian badger]] for more details about badgers and bovine tuberculosis.'' [[Badger-baiting]] is a [[blood sport]] outlawed in the [[United Kingdom]] by the [[Cruelty to Animals Act 1835]] as well as the [[Protection of Badgers Act 1992]]. The [[Dachshund]] dog breed has a history with badgers; "''[[dachs]]''" is the [[German language|German]] word for badger, and dachshunds were originally bred to be badger hounds.[http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/dachshund.htm] Badgers are popular in [[English language]] fiction. Many badger characters are featured in author [[Brian Jacques]]' [[Redwall]] series, most often falling under the title of [[Badger Lord]] or [[Badger Mother]]. One such badger contains 'Brock' in his name. Other stories featuring badgers include [[The Boy Who Talked to Badgers]] (1975 movie), [[The Tale of Mr. Tod]], [[The Wind in the Willows]], [[The Once and Future King]], [[The Animals of Farthing Wood]], [[Fantastic Mr. Fox]], [[The Book of Merlyn]], and [[The Chronicles of Narnia]]. In the [[Harry Potter]] series, one of the four ''"houses"'' of [[Hogwarts]], [[Hufflepuff]], is symbolised by a badger. The character Frances in [[Russell Hoban]]'s series of children's books is a badger. They also appear prominently in two volumes of [[Erin Hunter]]'s [[Warriors (novel series)|Warriors: The New Prophecy]] series. A badger god is also featured as a major character and spirit guide for the lead character in [[The Immortals Series|The Immortals]] series by [[Tamora Pierce]]. The most prominent poem on the badger is from the Romantic period's [[John Clare]]. "''Badger''" describes a badger hunt, complete with badger-baiting, and treats the badger as a noble creature who dies at the end. Badger hair is used to make quality [[Shave brush|shaving brushes]] and has even been used in some instances as [[doll hair]]. The badger is the state animal of [[Wisconsin]]. Likenesses of badgers appear through the [[Wisconsin State Capitol]], and a badger appears on the head of the statue of Wisconsin atop the building. The official mascot of the [[University of Wisconsin-Madison]] is Buckingham U. Badger, AKA [[Bucky Badger]]. == Urban legends == *British forces were said to have released [[killer badger|man-eating badgers]] in the vicinity of Basra, Iraq following the 2003 coalition invasion.<ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = British blamed for Basra badgers | pages = | publisher = BBC News | date = [[2007-07-12]] | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6295138.stm | accessdate = 2007-07-12 }}</ref> This allegation has been denied by the British, and local scientists agree that the animals, [[Ratel]]s, also known as '''Honey Badgers''', are [[native]] to the area.<ref name="badgers of mass destruction">{{cite news | last = Carney | first = Mike | title = Brits 'deny' releasing 'giant man-eating' badgers that target Iraqis | pages = | publisher = USA Today | date = [[2007-07-12]] | url = http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2007/07/brits-deny-rele.html | accessdate = 2007-07-12 }}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{wikispecies|melinae}} *[http://depts.washington.edu/natmap/facts/badger_712.html Badger Facts - NatureMapping Program] *[http://www.badger.org.uk/ The Badger Trust (formerly the National Federation of Badger Groups)] *[http://www.badgerland.co.uk/ Badgerland - The Definitive On-Line Guide to Badgers (Meles meles) in the UK] *[http://www.badgers.org.uk/badgerpages/index.html Steve Jackson's Badger Pages] *[http://www.badgers.org/ The Virtual Badger Sett (Taxidea, North American Badgers)] *[http://www.dassenwerkgroepbrabant.nl/ Badgers in the Netherlands] *[http://www.iberianature.com/material/badger.htm Badgers in Spain] *[http://www.UWBadgers.com/ Official Athletic Department Site for the University of Wisconsin "Badgers"] *[http://www.aigas.co.uk/Badger-Ecology-g.asp Aigas Field Centre badger ecology page] *[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/7026127.stm BBC News report of court case in Shropshire about a man killing a badger injured by his dogs.] *[http://www.badgercam.co.uk Live infrared badger web cam] *[http://www.badgers.ru/ Badgers in Russia] {{Mustelidae nav}} [[Category:Badgers| ]] [[Category:Fauna of Ireland]] [[Category:Mammals of the United States]] [[an:Texudo]] [[ast:Melandru]] [[cs:Jezevec]] [[da:Grævlinger]] [[de:Dachse]] [[el:Ασβός]] [[fa:گورکن]] [[fr:Melinae]] [[hr:Jazavci]] [[ka:მაჩვი]] [[ko:오소리아과]] [[nl:Dassen]] [[ja:アナグマ亜科]] [[pt:Texugo]] [[ru:Барсучьи]] [[sco:Brock]] [[simple:Badger]] [[sv:Grävlingar]] [[chr:ᎤᎫᎾ]] [[ur:بجو]] [[zh:獾亚科]]