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World distribution

The Eurasian badger is distributed widely across Europe and Asia. It ranges from the British Isles and Eire in the west, to Japan in the east, and from the northern parts of Norway, Sweden and Finland to the southern parts of China.

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British distribution

Within Britain, badgers are also widely distributed, though they are more common in some areas than in others. They are particularly numerous in much of the south-west of England, and also in parts of the south-east and Wales. They are however much thinner on the ground in most of East Anglia and in the mountainous areas of Wales and Scotland.

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Habitat preferences

The Eurasian badger occupies a wide range of habitats. In Britain, numbers are highest in areas where there is a lot of old, well-grazed cattle pasture, but they also occupy mixed and arable farmland, forests, moorlands and coastal habitats such as sand dunes and cliffs. In addition, they also live in urban areas.

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Numbers

The British population is estimated to be around 310,000 animals.

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References

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Picture credits

The Eurasian badger photo used at the head of this Article is © Steve Jackson. Credits for the photos used in the right-hand margin of this page for site navigation can be found on the Credits page.

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