Re: Why are badgers so ferocious ?

There are two different species of badger: the American badger (Taxidea taxus) and the Eurasian badger (Meles meles). They look similar, but have different life histories and behaviors. I think the reputation for being ferocious belongs primarily to the Eurasian badger, which lives in burrows called sets or setts in small family groups.

Like many animals, badgers are territorial, and will defend their territory against intruders. However, where other territorial animals like foxes and wolves can outrun intruders, badgers are not built for speed. They are stocky and low to the ground, with large claws, which makes them excellent diggers, but slow runners. Faced with a threat, they can either hide or turn and threaten the intruder in return, but flight isn't an option for them. That's probably why badgers have gained the reputation for being ferocious.

It should be noted, however, that although they may be more aggressive than other animals, they do not go out of their way to attack people. Very few animals do. People have a habit of wanting to get too close to animals, and where most animals can outrun a human, badgers probably can't (most of the time), so their best defense is to turn and look threatening. This also contributes to their reputation.

If you want to read more about badgers, there aren't very many sites on the web that I could find. You can read about Eurasian badgers at the University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web, the American badger at the California Department of Fish and Game's page, and see a photo of a badger here.