What protection level does the Eurasian badger have, and what does it eat?

The Eurasian badger, also known as the hemp badger, is a mammal of the genus Meles in the family Mustelidae and is one of the main fur-bearing animals. It is generally active in spring and autumn and often inhabits forests, shrublands, fields, lakes and various other environments. So what protection level does the Eurasian badger have? What does it eat?

1. What protection level does the Eurasian badger have?

The Eurasian badger is a national second-class protected animal in China and has been included in the 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Eurasian badger is fierce in temperament, hibernates by digging burrows, is omnivorous, breeds once a year, and gives birth to 2-5 cubs per litter. It is distributed across most regions of the Eurasian continent. The badger population distribution is not scattered; it is very common in Russia, with 30000 individuals recorded in 1999. A 2006 survey showed that the badger population density in Europe had increased compared with the previous decades. In Finland it is distributed near the northern boundary, with a relatively low density of about 2-2.5 individuals per 10 square kilometers, and the overall number tends to be stable.

2. What does the Eurasian badger eat?

The Eurasian badger is omnivorous and feeds on plant roots and stems, fruits, and frogs, earthworms, small fish, sand lizards, insects and small mammals. In grassland areas it likes to eat the food left by wolves. During the sowing and ripening periods of crops, it damages newly sown seeds and soon-to-ripen corn, peanuts, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans and melons. It inhabits forests or hillside shrublands, fields, graveyards, dune grasslands and the areas beside lakes and rivers, among various other environments. The Eurasian badger breeds once a year. In September-October, males and females chase each other and mate, and in April-May of the following year they give birth, with 2-5 cubs per litter. The cubs open their eyes after one month. In June-July the young animals follow the mother in activities and foraging. In autumn the young badgers leave the mother and live independently, and they reach sexual maturity after three years. The female has 3 pairs of nipples; the front pair is close to the chest, and each pair of nipples is spaced 75 mm apart and full of milk. Except for the white head, the young animal's whole body is covered with grayish-white down, while the back and limbs are slightly black, and it often makes chirping calls.

The Eurasian badger has the habit of hibernating and lives by digging burrows. The burrow passages range from several meters to more than ten meters in length, with crisscrossing branch passages. The winter burrow is complex and is a burrow used for many years, formed by annual repair and digging. It has 2-3 entrances and exits, with a main passage, side passages and blind ends inside. The walls of the main passage are smooth and neat, without debris or feces, and the end is lined with dry grass, branches and leaves as a nest. In spring and autumn, temporary burrows are built on earth mounds and in shrublands near farmland. During the day it enters the burrow to rest, and at night it comes out to look for food. These burrows are short and straight, with rough passages, a small nest and a thin bedding, and only one exit. The nest is about 3-5 meters from the entrance and 40-60 cm in diameter. In burrows where Eurasian badgers live, the entrance is smooth and the soil is loose, with footprints left on it, and the loose soil extends as far as about 20 meters. At the two sides of the end of the loose soil there are oval-shaped dung pits.

Summary: The above is the related introduction to what protection level the Eurasian badger has and what it eats. I hope it is helpful to friends in need!