On October 6, we celebrate Badger Day. This interesting animal is distributed throughout Bulgaria,
Currently, the population of these beautiful animals has been greatly depleted by the efforts of hunters, as badger fat is worth a lot of money.
Features and habitat
The badger is large compared to other members of the weasel family. Its elongated, at first glance uncomfortable body can reach up to 90 cm in length. Females are usually smaller than males.
Also, depending on the habitat, there are large and small badgers. The mass of an adult is about 10-20 kg in summer and increases to 20-30 kg in winter.
The body of the badger is elongated, with a pointed muzzle, which has characteristic black stripes running from the nose to the ears. The ears are small, somewhat reminiscent of a bear, with white tips.
The tail of a badger is short, about 20 cm. The paws of this unusual animal are short but thick. At the end of them there are quite impressive claws, with which badgers dig the ground.
The body of these beautiful animals is covered with luxurious long hair, usually brown or gray tones, which becomes lighter on the sides. The badger's winter color is lighter than summer.
Underneath the main coat is a warm undercoat that allows them to survive tough times without any problems. The coat of badgers changes gradually - the wool falls throughout the spring-summer period, and the growth of a new one begins at the very end of summer.
The habitat of badgers is incredibly wide. They can be found almost all over the territory of Europe, as well as in Asia. This animal is very unpretentious and is able to survive in a wide variety of conditions. The badger feels great in the forest, where it prefers to dig holes at the edges, in beams or ravines.
The character and way of life of the badger
The badger spends most of its life in a hole, which it makes as comfortable as possible to live in. Where there is little food, they settle one by one, although they do not particularly fight with each other. If there is plenty around, then badgers can form a whole settlement.
First they dig their burrows side by side, and then combine them with the help of underground passages. The boundaries of the underground city are marked by a special smell that is the same for all members of the same family.
For all their propensity for a social lifestyle, badgers have no problem if circumstances force them to live alone. A well-organized home plays a special role for them.
A badger burrow has an extensive network of tunnels and one or more main chambers. The animal carefully monitors the cleanliness of its home. The main chamber is littered with dry leaves and grass, which is changed twice a year. This is where the badger will sleep during the winter. This clean animal digs a toilet away from the entrance of the hole.
If there is a cold winter in a badger's habitat, it hibernates to wait out the unfavorable period in this way. At this time, the animal eats a good layer of fat, which will allow it to hibernate.
Most often badgers hibernate in December, but it all depends on the climate. If the cold comes earlier, then hibernation can begin earlier. A thaw can wake up a sleeping badger and even make it look out of its hole.
These atypical members of the weasel family are mostly nocturnal. Regardless, everyone knows what a badger looks like. A photo of this unusual forest dweller can be seen in this article below or above, but meeting him face to face is rare.
Food
The badger is an omnivore that can feed itself under almost any conditions. Because of this, their diet varies greatly depending on habitat and season. Favorite treats of badgers are earthworms, snails, large beetles.
Sometimes they hunt small rodents and destroy bird nests, hunt lizards or frogs. Plants are also included in the diet of badgers - they eat fruits, rhizomes, vegetables and fruits with pleasure.
Also, all kinds of mushrooms, which are so abundant in the forests, are used as food. In some places, nuts are part of the badger's diet. In total, they can eat about 50 different plant species and about the same number of animal species.
Another place for an omnivore to eat is farmland. Badgers feed in the fields by eating some of the cultivated plants planted by man. They especially prefer legumes and corn.
Naturally, this hardens the greedy hearts of the farmers, becoming yet another justification for badger hunting. The fact that they bring many benefits, destroying pests, is usually not taken into account.
Reproduction and life span
Badgers are monogamous animals. Their pairs are created for several years or even for life. Puberty in badgers occurs at 2 years for females and 3 years for males. The mating season usually lasts from late winter to early fall.
After fertilization, the female bears offspring for a fairly long period of time - from 9 to 12 months, depending on the season in which the mating took place.
On average, 2 to 6 young are born. They are born blind and deaf, completely helpless. Only a month later, their hearing begins to appear, and the babies' eyes open only after a month and a half.
It will be at least 3 months before the badgers can emerge from their native burrow. After about six months, they will begin to approach the size of their parents, but most of them spend the first winter with their families. The average lifespan of badgers is 5 to 12 years. In captivity, some individuals live up to 16 years.
The badger is not afraid of people and can easily become a pet. They easily find a common language with a person and can bring a lot of joy to their owner. Naturally, many believe that finding such an exotic pet is not easy.
However, today you can easily buy a badger if needed. The only condition is that the animal enclosure is strong and its floor is reinforced with concrete or mesh to avoid undermining. If everything is done correctly, then the badger will become a true friend of man, will give a lot of joy and warmth to his master.
Source: beehive.bg