Meet the Animals

This year Gordon Buchanan is in deepest Essex, looking at badger society and the complex relationships and social structure of a badger sett.

Tell us about any surprising badger behaviour you have seen.

Missed something? Keep up to date with the badger story here.

Species information

Everyone recognises the badger. Its dark grey barrel-shaped body and black and white striped face and white-tipped ears are so iconic. Badgers like to live in social groups of one or two families in underground chambers and passages called setts, which they keep extremely clean and tidy. They need to... setts can sometimes be occupied for hundreds of years.

They are mostly nocturnal animals, and therefore rarely seen, coming out at night to follow the same old paths between their feeding grounds and their territory, possibly passing through a garden or two. Being omnivores, they forage for everything from worms and insects to frogs and small mammals and plant material.

Even though the UK has a large population, badgers and their setts are fully protected by law under the Badgers Act of 1992 because of previous persecution and baiting. That said, the risk of bovine TB means they are still subject to government culling.

How to help

Drive along country lanes at night with care, as badgers are an all too common roadside casualty.

The locations of badger setts are kept secret to avoid hunting and baiting but you could join local badger groups or wildlife trusts may organise badger watches.

There is practical advice on living with badgers from the Badger Trust. And finally don't forget National Badger Day on the 3rd of October.

The badger's stripes

Gordon talks us through why badgers might have those distinctive black and white stripes.

A test of strength

We packed a tree trunk full of nuts. Will Gordon's badgers be strong enough to get them out for a midnight feast?

The badger family

Gordon gives us the lowdown on who's who in the badger clan.

The Badger's story

Gordon and Don have set out to get some film of badgers in the wild and, boy, do they succeed. This extraordinary footage of wild badgers is a first for Gordon!