Badger

Badger (noun):
A burrowing omnivorous mammal with short legs, long body and a short tail. Usually brown or black fur with white markings on the face. Native to Europe, North America and Asia.
There are eight species of badger including the European badger, hog badger, Asian steppe badger, American badger and honey badger. The European badger is the largest at 30-40 inches in length and up to 60 pounds in weight. Badgers have powerful digging claws on their front paws which they use to dig extensive burrow systems called setts. They live in social groups sharing their setts with other family members.
Badgers are nocturnal animals coming out at night to forage for food which includes small mammals such as rabbits, rodents and birds as well as earthworms, insects, fruits and nuts. In some areas they will also eat carrion (dead animals).
The main predators of adultbadgers are humans although cubs may fall prey to foxes or large birds of prey. Badgers have few natural enemies due largely to their fierce fighting ability when threatened using their sharp teeth and claws effectively combined with wiry strength – earning them the nickname ‘brute’ among farmers! When fighting they will often back into their adversary making it hard for them to get a good grip; this coupled with vicious swipes from those powerful claws can result in serious injury or death for any would-be attacker be they animal or human! This formidable defence has resulted in very little change to the badgers’ genetic makeup over millennia.
Badgers play an important role in dispersing seeds through their droppings which helps maintain healthy woodland ecosystems however due to habitat loss and persecution by man they are now considered vulnerable in many countries around the world including Britain where numbers have declined by nearly 30% since 1995 according largely to The State of Nature report 2019 produced by more than 50 conservation organisations