There are lots of fun facts about the European Badger. Did you known that?

• The European Badger, Meles meles, is a member of the Mustelidae family, commonly called the weasel family.
• European Badgers have a silver-gray or black body and tail. They have a black-and-white striped head and white-tipped ears.
• The European badger is a medium-sized mammal. It measures 90 cm (3 feet) from muzzle to tail. It weighs around 7 kg (15.5 pounds) in spring and double the amount in fall.
• European Badgers are found throughout Europe, except for northern Scandinavia and Iceland and the larger islands of France and Italy - Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily. They live in grassland and woodland habitats.
• The European Badger, like all other badgers, lives in a tunneled home. The network of tunnels is called a sett. A large sett can have 300 m (985 feet) of tunnels and as many as 40 entrance holes.
• European Badgers are opportunistic omnivores. They eat a variety of food including berries and rabbits. Their preferred meal is earthworms.
• The European Badger is a nocturnal animal meaning it feeds at night and sleeps during the day. It doesn't hibernate but may sleep for several days in winter.
• European Badgers are social animals. They live in groups called clans. They share a sett with up to 35 others.
• The European Badger keeps a very clean home. It deposits its feces in latrines.
• European Badgers have anal scent glands that release a strong, musky odor. They use their scent glands to mark their territory as well as clan members.