What is European badger?
{{Taxobox | name = European badger | fossil_range=Mid-[[Pleistocene]]–Recent | status = lc | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{IUCN2008|assessors=Kranz, A., Tikhonov, A., Conroy, J., Cavallini, P., Herrero, J., Stubbe, M., Maran, T., Fernades, M., Abramov, A. & Wozencraft, C.|year=2008|id=29673|title=Meles meles|downloaded=21 March 2009}} Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern</ref> | image = 'Honey' the badger.jpg | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] | classis = [[Mammal]]ia | ordo = [[Carnivora]] | familia = [[Mustelidae]] | genus = ''[[Meles (genus)|Meles]]'' | species = '''''M. meles''''' | binomial = ''Meles meles'' | binomial_authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]]) | range_map = European Badger area.png | range_map_caption = European badger range }} The '''European badger''' (''Meles meles'') is a species of [[badger]]. Its [[genus]] is ''[[Meles (genus)|Meles]]''. It is native to almost all of Europe. It is classed as [[Least Concern]] for [[extinction]] by the [[IUCN]] because of its wide distribution and large population. The European badger is a social, burrowing animal. It eats a wide variety of plants and animals. It is very fussy over the cleanliness of its burrow, and defecates in latrines. It is known of European badgers that they bury their dead family members. Although they are ferocious when provoked, the European badger is generally a peaceful animal. It has been known to share its burrows with other species such as [[rabbit]]s, [[red fox]]es and [[raccoon dog]]s. Although it does not usually prey on [[Domestication|domestic]] animals, the species is sometimes reported to damage livestock through spreading [[bovine tuberculosis]]. ==Reference== {{reflist}} ==Other websites== * [http://www.arkive.org/species/ARK/mammals/Meles_meles/ ARKive] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040703011351/http://www.arkive.org/species/ARK/mammals/Meles_meles/ |date=200