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badger

Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the family Mustelidae (which also includes the otters, wolverines, martens, minks, polecats, weasels, and ferrets). Badgers are a polyphyletic grouping and are not a natural taxonomic grouping: badgers are united by their squat bodies, adapted for fossorial activity. All belong to the caniform suborder of carnivoran mammals. The fifteen species of mustelid badgers are grouped in four subfamilies: Melinae (genera Meles and Arctonyx) four species, including the European badger, Helictidinae (genus Melogale) five species of ferret-badger, Mellivorinae (genus Mellivora) (the honey badger or ratel), and Taxideinae (genus Taxidae) (the American badger). Badgers include the most basal mustelids; the American badger is the most b… more »