Badgers belong to the same family as otters, polecats, weasels and wolverines. They are quite common in Ireland. Badgers have rather short, fat bodies, with short legs for digging. They have elongated weasel-like heads with small ears. The European badger is one of the largest of the badger family and weigh up to 18 Kg. The name Badger possibly comes from the French word becheur (digger). A male badger is a boar, a female is a sow, and a young badger is a cub. A collective name suggested for a group of badgers is a cete (range in size from two to fifteen individuals). Badger colonies are more often called clans. A badger s home is called a sett. They eat largely of earthworms, insects, grubs, and the eggs and young of ground-nesting birds. They also eat small mammals, amphibians, reptiles and birds, as well as roots and fruit. Badgers are the main predator of hedgehogs. Badgers have been known to become drunk with alcohol after eating rotting fruit. Badgers can be fierce animals and will protect themselves and their young. They are capable of fighting off dog-packs and fighting off much larger animals, such as wolves and bears. However, badgers can be tamed and then kept as pets. Badgers were once a primary meat source for the diets of Native Americans and white colonists. Their fur is used in top quality shaving brushes.
