Wizarding Times

We all know that Badgers like to be liked, even in the wild! Badgers play with each other, and they can assist other beings to survive in the harshest of conditions. For example, did you know that hibernating toads sleep with badgers in their dens? The extra warmth helps keep the toads alive and the badgers' protectiveness of their burrows safeguards the vulnerable toads. But, unfortunately, there is a move afoot in the United Kingdom to "do away" with badgers because they have been framed for foul crimes!

There are approximately 350,000 badgers in Britain, and farmers recently have been accusing them of spreading bovine (cattle) tuberculosis (TB). It seems that badgers (no dummies, they) have learned to get into stored chicken-feed in barns and the farmers think that they are spreading bovine TB among cattle. Farmers also propagate the myths that livestock stumble into badger tunnels, and that badgers are extremely vicious. However, all three of the above accusations are false says the head of Great Britain's bovine TB investigative unit, John Bourne.

A study has shown that the bovine TB is spread mostly between infected and non-infected cattle — at auctions, or by an infected cow introduced into a new herd, etc. Roaming badgers account for about one-third of the cases. And, most scientists who study badgers say that they are reclusive around human beings. Of course, the fact that badgers used to be caught and used as bait in dogfights certainly would justify a little bit of badger "testiness" once in a while. And, badgers will fight fiercely if cornered — but field scientists say they don't go looking for a battle. In fact, a Badger was Merlin's choice of an animal representative of England, and he urged King Arthur to study the Badger to learn how to fight and yet be patient in order to be sure he was fighting for the correct thing. Perhaps some of the farmers of Britain could heed that lesson as well.

In the meantime — despite the fact that you should be safeguarded by the current Protection for Badgers Act — if you are a Badger animagus or you have a companion badger, be warned!

Primary source: "Badgers' Bad Rap." National Geographic. Sept. 2008. N.p.
Other sources: Encyclopedia articles and T. H. White's novel The Once and Future King.