TYPICAL BEHAVIOR OF BADGERS

Abstract

In the article, I aim to review the peculiarities of the behavior of Badgers. Information about their burrows, social structure, reproduction, and diet was analyzed. The websites researchgate, google scholar, VDU CRIS, and other various internet pages and books were used to collect information. After collecting the necessary information, conclusions and generalizations are made. From the collected information, I concluded that the European badger  is characterized by monogamous behavior, forming life-long pairs. European badgers estrus last for four to six days, peaking in spring. A normal litter consists of one to five cubs. During mating, these mammals form pairs and live in a single cave system, and the young are cared for by the female. Badgers compete with brown foxes and raccoon dogs for food and burrows. Badgers can distinguish between neighboring and foreign smells. Badger caves are deep (up to 3-4 meters deep) and can be several stories tall. In front of the cave floor, a trench with a diameter of about 30 centimeters was formed from the excavated soil, going down into the cave floor. Hardly abandons caves, and always seeks to return to the old cave. Badger burrows are usually used by several generations of these mammals. They choose a place of residence with various growing areas, thus ensuring a constant source of food during different periods of the year. Dietary habits are adapted to the food resources that are abundant in that season. This broad diet and adaptation to seasonality helped the badger to spread across the European continent.