Description
 The
Badger we have in the UK is more properly known as the
Eurasian Badger - meaning
this it is found from Ireland in the west, right across Europe and Asia to
Japan. A member of the
Mustelidae family of mammals, the badger is closely
related to the otter,
stoat,
weasel,
polecat and
pine marten. The Latin name
of the badger is Meles meles; but many people also know it by its other country
names of brock, bawson, pate or grey. Many villages, towns and surnames contain
reference to "brock", examples including, Brockholes, Brockhampton, Brocklehurst
and Brocklebank. Brock is an old Celtic word which means grey or grizzled - a
very apt name for the appearance of the badger. An adult badger can grow to
have a head and body 70-80cm long, with a tail of 12-19cm. The badger has a
low-slung body and stands rather stout and squat, with short powerful legs and
feet. The head has a prominent white face with two black stripes from the ears
to the long tapered snout. The ears are small and are tipped with white hair. The
coarse coat of guard hairs has an overall grey appearance, but each hair has a
white or light-coloured tip and is black underneath. Hair from underneath the
body is almost wholly black. |
