Mammals · Carnivora · Mustelidae

Asian Badger

Meles leucurus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The Asian badger is a burrowing mustelid distributed from the Urals to China, Korea and eastern Russia. It was separated from the European badger as a species of its own on the basis of genetic and cranial studies: it is somewhat smaller, paler in tone and with narrower, more diffuse dark facial stripes. It digs setts that it may use for generations, is omnivorous with a preference for earthworms, and in the colder parts of its range it lays down fat and spends the winter dormant inside the burrow.

Weight

3.5 kg – 9 kg

Size

50 cm – 70 cm

Lifespan

10 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestMountainGrasslandOmnivore Nocturnal Solitary Temperate forest Mountain Grassland Mammal

9countries 4parks28same family

Fun facts

It practises delayed implantation: the embryo is held in suspension for months and only implants when conditions guarantee food for the cubs.
In the northern populations it spends several months dormant inside the sett over winter, something the European badger of temperate climates does not do.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Forests, wooded steppe and mountainous areas of Central and East Asia
Gestation / incubation: 10 months (with delayed implantation)
Litter / clutch size: 3

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/