European Badger: Keeping Traditions

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.

 

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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.

American Badger: Fighting Well

A member of the Weasel Family (Mustelidae), American Badger (Taxidea taxus) is not considered to be a “true badger” but is called “Badger.” American Badger has a distinctive white badger-like stripe. He uses his strong claws to dig out small Mammals out of their burrows. This cunning hunter can dig faster than a person with a shovel. People tell stories of American Badgers digging though concrete. Like other Badgers, He prefers a deep underground burrow covered by undergrowth.

American Badger is a sophisticated hunter. He just not only digs out Rodents but also plans how to get as many as possible. American Badger plugs all the doors to Ground Squirrel’s burrows except for one. At that entrance, He digs out Ground Squirrel and eats Him. Or American Badger will dig a connecting tunnel into the one remaining entrance and wait for Ground Squirrel. When Ground Squirrel leaves, He pounces on the unfortunate animal.

American Badger is a formable fighter. His compact body and powerful claws gives anyone wanting to attack American Badger pause for thought. While his attacker is thinking, American Badger digs into the soil so fast that He disappears into the ground. He chooses when to fight and when to leave.

Unlike Eurasian Badger (“true badger”), American Badger is usually solitary. He also has a reputation for sometimes being too aggressive. Be mindful of both things when learning from American Badger.

American Badger teaches what to do when confronted. Either fight fiercely or take advantage of your opponent’s confusion and leave quickly. Learn fighting well from American Badger.

Badgers: How to Handle Anger

Members of the Weasel Family (Mustelidae), three different animals are called “Badger”. However, these three “Badgers” differ in significant ways, so much that They are classified by scientists as three different species. This is important to know in reading about “Badger” in an “animal wisdom” book, in order to know what animal are they referring to.

The “true badger” is Eurasian Badger (Meles meles), who lives with his family in large underground catacombs called “setts”. Included in his group of Melinae is Indonesian Stink Badger, who looks like a Skunk, and Burmese Ferret Badger, who climbs trees to eat birds. These animals are what most people consider to be “Badger”.

American Badger (Taxidea taxus) is the only “Badger” that lives in the New World. Unlike Eurasian Badger, He lives alone. Living in the North American prairies and dry plains, American Badger digs holes to escape the hot sun. He is known best for his aggressive nature.

The third animal called “Badger” is Ratel or Honey Badger (Millivora capensis). Living in Africa, Honey Badger attacks and eats venomous Snakes and large Mammals. Unlike the other “Badgers”, Honey Badger has an ally -- the Bird called Honey Guide. Together, They find Honey Badger’s favorite food, which is honey.

Why are all these animals called “Badger?” First, They have the distinctive Badger stripe on their heads. Second, They look like a cross between Skunks and small Bears. Third, like Skunks, They have well developed musk glands. With their strong claws, these Carnivores hunt by digging out their prey.

All Badgers are known for their fierceness. When cornered by an enemy, Badgers bristle their fur and look menacing. With their tough skin, They can withstand most bites. Using their powerful jaws and sharp claws, Badgers ably defend Themselves.

Badgers teach how to get angry in a productive way. They neither seek a fight nor do They try to avoid one. When provoked, Badgers will emit a foul musky order, and bare their teeth. When faced with an opponent, Badgers will use their enemy’s hesitation to dig Themselves into the ground for protection. Otherwise, They use their fierceness to defend Themselves. Understand the positive aspects of anger from Badger. Just do not succumb to being vicious, as Badger sometimes does.

Honey Badger