Editing Badger (section)

== Diet ==
The diet of the Eurasian badger consists largely of [[earthworm]]s (especially ''[[Lumbricus terrestris]]''),<ref>{{cite journal|title=An Analysis of Eurasian Badger (Meles meles) Population Dynamics: Implications for Regulatory Mechanisms|first1=David W.|last1=Macdonald|first2=Christopher|last2=Newman|first3=Pierre M.|last3=Nouvellet|first4=Christina D.|last4=Buesching|date=15 December 2009|journal=Journal of Mammalogy|volume=90|issue=6|pages=1392–1403|doi=10.1644/08-MAMM-A-356R1.1|doi-access=free}}</ref> [[insect]]s, [[Larva|grubs]], and the eggs and young of ground-nesting [[bird]]s. They also eat small [[mammal]]s, [[amphibian]]s, [[reptile]]s and [[bird]]s, as well as [[root]]s and [[fruit]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.badgerecology.org/BEdiet.htm| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328150824/http://www.badgerecology.org/BEdiet.htm| archive-date=28 March 2010| title=Eurasian badger (''Meles meles'') ecology: DIET| work= Woodchester Park Badger Research| publisher=Central Science Laboratory. csl.gov.uk | url-status=usurped| access-date=30 August 2008}}</ref> In Britain, they are the main predator of [[hedgehog]]s, which have demonstrably<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.ptes.org/files/1116_hedgehogs_on_arable_farms.pdf |title=The value of agri-environment schemes for macro-invertebrate feeders: hedgehogs on arable farms in Britain |quote=Badger predation of hedgehogs was high in the study site and the main cause of death |doi=10.1111/j.1469-1795.2010.00359.x |volume=13 |issue=5 |journal=Animal Conservation |pages=467–473 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407055019/http://www.ptes.org/files/1116_hedgehogs_on_arable_farms.pdf |archive-date=7 April 2014 |year=2010 |last1=Hof |first1=A. R. |last2=Bright |first2=P. W. |bibcode=2010AnCon..13..467H |s2cid=82793575 }}</ref> lower populations in areas where badgers are numerous, so much so that hedgehog rescue societies do not release hedgehogs into known badger territories.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.snufflelodge.org.uk/?page_id=929 | quote=badgers and hogs don't mix we'd never consider releasing hogs into ... an active badger territory | publisher=Snufflelodge.org.uk | title=Where have all the hedgehogs gone ? | access-date=27 August 2013 | archive-date=17 June 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617042849/http://www.snufflelodge.org.uk/?page_id=929 | url-status=dead }}</ref> They are occasional predators of domestic chickens,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rivercottage.net/forum/ask/poultry/10984anyone-had-problems-with-badgers/ | title=Forums | publisher=River Cottage | access-date=27 August 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130525060437/http://www.rivercottage.net/forum/ask/poultry/10984anyone-had-problems-with-badgers/ | archive-date=25 May 2013 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}</ref> and are able to break into enclosures that a fox cannot.  In southern Spain, badgers feed to a significant degree on rabbits.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Fedriani, J.M. |author2=Ferreras, P. |author3=Delibes, M. |name-list-style=amp | year=1998| title= Dietary response of the Eurasian badger, ''Meles meles'', to a decline of its main prey in the Doñana National Park| journal= Journal of Zoology| doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.1998.tb00092.x| volume= 245 |pages= 214–218| issue=2|hdl=10261/50745|url=https://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/59857/1/journal%20of%20zool.pdf|hdl-access=free}}</ref>

American badgers are [[fossorial]] [[carnivore]]s – i.e. they catch a significant proportion of their food underground, by digging. They can tunnel after ground-dwelling rodents at speed.

The honey badger of Africa consumes [[honey]], [[porcupines]], and even venomous [[snake]]s (such as the [[Bitis arietans|puff adder]]); they climb trees to gain access to honey from bees' nests.

Badgers have been known to become intoxicated with [[Ethanol|alcohol]] after eating rotting fruit.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i9a013U8U1EbEBcrlAf0115R6doQ |title=Drunk badger blocks German road |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=8 July 2009 |website= |publisher=AFP |access-date= |quote=| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714211151/https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i9a013U8U1EbEBcrlAf0115R6doQ |archive-date=14 July 2009 }}</ref>