A house under the ground
Vive Cabeceiras · Texugo · biologia geral

Badger spends most of his life out of our sight.

The badger (Meles meles) has mainly nocturnal activity and shelters in extensive underground burrows. The two dark bands on the white head are a striking visual clue; the short legs have strong claws. The Virtual Museum of Biodiversity describes its presence in forests, forests and agricultural landscapes with vegetation. This chart explains the species in mainland Portugal; it does not document an observation in Cabeceiras de Basto. The claws are long and not retractable: they do not collect like those of the cats. The tail is short and clear, another contrast with the fox's long tail. These details help compare descriptions without searching or disturbing burrows.

Sources and context
University of Évora — Virtual Museum of Biodiversity: Meles meles
https://museubiodiversidade.uevora.pt/elenco-de-especies/biodiversidade-actual/animais/cordados/mamiferos/meles-meles/
Accessed: 2026-11-07

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