Eurasian Badger (Meles meles) is a “true badger.” Eurasian Badger lives with his clan in a large underground network of burrows (called a sett). The family sett was inherited from Eurasian Badger’s Father. Eurasian Badger expands his family home and passes it on to his Children. His large cooperative clan refines the family sett with various nest chambers, nursery areas, toilets, and entrances. Many setts are centuries old and contain more than 100 entrances. People in the United Kingdom have successfully lobbied to have some setts registered as historic places.
In British folklore, Eurasian Badger is regarded to be steady, tenacious, and home loving. The Scots admire Him for his courage and power. They often wear their sporrans (the purse worn with traditional Highland dress) made from Badger’s fur.
Eurasian Badger is also known for being a creature of habit. Besides living in the same sett as his Grandfathers, He also travels across the countryside on the same well-worn paths to his hunting grounds. Eurasian Badger keeps to the established paths used by his Forefathers. He will even keep on using them in spite of a road or a housing estate in his way.
What Eurasian Badger teaches is keeping traditions. Generations of Badgers have maintained the same home, and refined it. Eurasian Badger keeps his traditions and passes them on to his Children. Just do not be so unbreakable in your traditions that you get run over by a truck.
Eurasian Badger Teachings Include:
“The Brock (Badger) has the strength and determination to overcome any obstacles placed in the way of achieving a goal.” Copyright: “Beasts of Albion”, Miranda Gray.
One difference between Eurasian Badger and American Badger is that Eurasian Badger is sociable, while American Badger is solitary. Also, They are different species in the Weasel Family.
Conservation Note: Eurasian Badger is protected in the United Kingdom.
To prevent Eurasian Badgers from becoming road kill, badger tunnels (first built in Heumen Municipality, the Netherlands) provides a solution for the tradition-minded Badgers. The tunnels connects municipal greenways with established Badger setts. Since the implementation of the badger tunnel program, the population of Badgers in Heumen has doubled. To learn more on how to protect Badgers from becoming road kill, go to U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration: Critter Crossings: “Linking Habitats and Reducing Road Kill”.
For more solutions, go to Badgerland, “The Definitive Guide for Badgers in the UK”. Besides providing examples for badger tunnels, Badgerland also provides instructions on obtaining Badger Crossing Signs for busy roads in the United Kingdom.
Purchase European Badger books from Amazon.com
Eurasian Badger picture copyrighted by Allan Bantick, who managers Strathspey Badger Hide and assists with the monitoring and protection of badgers in Scotland.
Badger-tunnel photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration: Critter Crossings: “Linking Habitats and Reducing Road Kill”. Check their website on how to save wildlife from becoming road kill.
Va. Carper
July 24, 2007