Badger
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Badger
Mammal
Also known as: Eurasian Badger
Collective name: a cete · also: a clan
A heavily built nocturnal mammal with a distinctive black-and-white striped face.
💡 Fun Facts
- They live in underground burrow systems called setts, which can be centuries old.
- They are incredibly clean animals and change their bedding of leaves and grass regularly.
- Earthworms make up the majority of their diet.
Name Story
Meles meles
means “the badger, twice over”
What does its name mean?
- Meles — a badgerLatin
- meles — the same word repeated — 'badger' againLatin
This badger's Latin name is a funny one: 'Meles meles' is the very same word said twice, and it simply means 'badger'. So its grand scientific name really just says 'badger badger'! (People sometimes say the English word 'badger' comes from the white 'badge' on its face, or from an old word meaning 'digger' — but nobody knows for sure.)
🔎 Featured in a nature example
See this creature's story: The Badger's Night Life