In order to get hold of its food the badger scrapes a hole; later it may be used as latrine
Photo: Tarmo Mikussaar
Occasionally holes and depressions dug at regular intervals occur in pine reforestations. Usually such a place marks the dinner table of a badger. In the soil larva of beetles, for instance those of maybugs, develop and they are a delicacy for badgers. A great part of its food the badger digs out from the soil. Its acute sense of smell and the forepaws that are well adapted to digging are great advantages in searching for food. On looking carefully, badger excrements can also be found in some holes. So the badger marks its territory. In case of an animal with such a sharp sense of smell it certainly knows precisely from such markings whether an own community animal or a stranger squatted at the oak, and who keeps company with whom.
Note also that often the excrements are covered with different mould fungi which may be whitish, grey, greenish or even blue in colour.
Tarmo Mikussaar
