BADGER – Broc

Young badgers are called cubs. Badgers in the wild rarely exceed six years in age but maximum life expectancy up to 14 years. They have a stocky powerful body with relatively short legs and a short tail. The distinctive head is white with two black stripes through the eyes from the muzzle to the ears. Body appears grey overall but it’s actually black and white hairs. Litter size usually 2-3 cubs, born late January through to early March.

Their diet consists of crane fly larvae, moth larvae, wasps, bees, frogs and earthworms, but they will take all manner of invertebrates, small vertebrates, and a variety of plant food.

Badgers have a wide variety of habitat types, but generally associated with pasture, woodland, scrub or hedgerow. They do occur in urban areas also, where foraging is available and disturbance is minimal. A badger lives in a sett. Some can possess 300m of tunnel and 20 or more chambers. Badgers in the wild rarely exceed six years in age but maximum life expectancy up to 14 years.

Badgers are protected under the Wildlife Acts (Wildlife Act, 1976; Wildlife Amendment Act, 2000), and in Northern Ireland under the Wildlife (N.I.) Order of 1985. Also protected under Appendix III of the Berne Convention.