Badger

American badger.

Badgers are several species of medium-sized mustelid carnivores, the Eurasian badger (Meles meles), the North American badger, both grey with striped black and white heads, and the Honey badger or Ratel of Africa.

Badgers are carnivorous upon various small animals such as rodents, moles and hedgehogs. They live in elaborate underground burrow complexes called setts.

In the United Kingdom badgers are commonly blamed by farmers for spreading bovine tuberculosis, although the disease is generally spread by uncontrolled livestock movements. Nevertheless, the current Conservative government has given culling licenses and a program of culling has begun.[1]

Badger hairs were sought after for making shaving-brushes, a practise that has ceased in many parts of the world due to the dwindling badger population. Badger hair shaving brushes now have something of an heirloom quality about them as commercially farming and shaving badgers has failed because they are not social animals and tend to aggression when in captivity.

## Badgers in the Bible[edit]

(According to the King James Version) the tabernacle in which Ark of the Covenant was kept included badger skins in its construction:

> And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers' skins above that. Exodus 36:19, (KJV)

(Some versions of the Bible (e.g. the NIV) state here that the hides of sirenians were used however.)

## Badgers in culture[edit]

* Badger is one of the main characters in The Wind in the Willows.
* The dire badger is a fictional variety, larger, more savage, and sometimes more intelligent, occasionally encountered in role-playing games.
* The badger is the state animal of Wisconsin and the mascot of the University of Wisconsin.
* A video on YouTube created by YouTuber Randall had given rise to the phrase "Honey badger don't care", in relation to said badger's ferocious and fearless nature.