Badgers have an interesting reputation, depending on who you are. Generally seen as taciturn little fellows with a penchant for being territorial, they’re rarely seen as the sort of creatures you want to keep immediate company with. Badger Day wants to change that perspective, and eliminate certain myths about these creatures and their interactions with humans.
History of Badger Day
Badgers have a long history and reputation among humans, and there are few who have actually seen one alive and in person. Badger Day raises awareness of the need to protect badgers from human predation and brings issues of habitat and health concerns to the common man. The word for Badger comes from the French ‘Bucher’, which means digger, brought from their tendency to burrow underground and create sets where they raise their families and stay during the day. Badgers, as it turns out, are largely nocturnal, explaining why they’re so rarely seen by most people.
While these creatures are largely harmless and are an important part of their ecosystems, human perceptions of these creatures has led to large culls and ‘badger disposal’ attempts to remove them. One reason for this is the ongoing debate about whether or not badgers are responsible for the spread of tuberculosis, a disease also known as consumption that is ultimately fatal to humans if untreated. While the debate has yet to reach a conclusion the drive to cull out badger populations is already underway, and only with hard work to raise people’s awareness about these noble creatures can we save the badger.
How to Celebrate Badger Day
To celebrate Badger Day find out if there’s somewhere you can actually view badgers. East Sussex is one of the places they live natively, but badgers are known all over the world and live in many of the northern climates. Find out if there’s a place near you where they can be viewed, and be sure to spend some time raising awareness about badgers and the good they do. If you can’t get out and actively participate yourself, then find organizations you can donate to that work to protect animals like these from human threats like culling.
