The badger: chasing a ghost All of these naturalists have species that take away our dreams and we have imagined sightings in many ways, of which we have heard testimony and we thought, "How lucky they are few!". Species are usually elusive, shy, you only move under cover of night and appear as silhouettes lit by the full moon or like two bright stars off the car headlights. I remember an article I read some time ago in the journal "Nature" entitled: The impossible photos of Antonio Vázquez. In the same photo out of a badger in the snow, a brown bear released and other examples that are very difficult to shoot in those conditions.
I also read in several photography forums normally captions of photographs taken under controlled conditions: A photograph impossible in the wild. And that is the word impossible means a lot and people frequently move we know the area. It can be very difficult, coincidence of those things that happen almost once in a lifetime, but few things are impossible if we arm ourselves with patience and persistence especially since the secret is to persevere.
Well after this roll that I have released philosophical, saying that this kind "fetish" for me was the badger. The "Melandru" we call it here, derived from the name given to taste of this animal for the honey. One of the more nocturnal animal that exist in the wild Iberia and likes to eat during the night of eggs, meat, insects, earthworms, berries ... while spending the day under rocks and several inches of soil refugee in Dachshund . Normally
we know of the presence of these animals in our area for traces. Badger animal despite being a fairly difficult to observe, is relatively abundant and is not hard to find tracks, hozaduras similar to those of wild boars but a smaller size, latrines and even Dachshund.
badger footprints are similar to those of a small Osete. Scoring 5 fingers as well mustelid, with the front leg shorter and the posterior-shaped "foot." Also mark your fingernails.
Badger Trail in the snow
The Tejoneros usually has several entrances and exits and is usually located in an area with abundant rocks around and under which they are excavated chambers of the den. Huras be confused with other animals such as fox. However, the Dachshund always have a groove at the entrance. However Zorreras've known cases where the foxes raised for several years and to be occupied by badgers making appropriate changes.
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Dachshund winter I often came across with traces of the Eurasian in the field but had no way of seeing. I got to know 3 Dachshund and were many waiting in the blue hour watching the mouth of the same but always with disappointing results. But as I said above the secret at the insistence and 30-day empty-handed are more than offset a few minutes of observation. One observation that will become part of a series of anecdotes that comets always between gaffs.
In early and mid twentieth century is well known that we had to find something to put in their mouths because the conditions were not the same as they are now and badger meat was highly prized, as is his skin that was sold by trappers and was used for the manufacture of shaving brushes.
also is known to all the brave badger fame. Chaparreta complexion and wide aspect gives strength and give it a special drive to the field to help stand up to other animals such as foxes, dogs, etc ...
One of the easiest places badger watching and where they produce most of which is the road at night. Unfortunately, many individuals die struck and worst of all is that in most cases could have been avoided.
My first observation of the species was a couple of weeks on a night with the car. The car's headlights illuminated a long silhouette and white across the road. 2 black stripes adorned the face of robust animal which came to a meadow under the poles of the rut of the same to continue to a light jog on the 10 cm of snow covering the ground. At last he saw a badger in the wild. The challenge now was to get a picture. Something that is impossible to cross out the places mentioned above if not high-speed techniques barrier infrared camera traps and the like. It was my first choice and I mounted the whole shebang a night with zero results. However
perseverance at the end gives you when you least expect surprises. On Sunday the day was cloudy and rainy, perfect conditions for shooting streams inside the forest so here I went to a beech forest that I wanted him for some time and after 40 minutes of walking I reached the desired location. Protecting the team did a photograph under a steady drizzle. Attached a photo to give more good atmosphere to the story.
Hayedo
I decide it's time to go home and that is all cod cut. When trace in a small valley at about 16:15 pm and see a clear bulge in a meadow. Instantly identified it as a badger. It increases heart rate, all at once become entangled in the rush and finally take out the camera, the card is near the limit of photos so here I delete some old photo to go slack and then to capacity. Launched a long-distance photography testimonial and the animal is unfazed. It was still raining and the badger did not raise his head, had his nose buried up to the height of the eyes continuously stirred and ground Tapinos Moruca feeding (worms). Body moving in circles around the head which was fixed around the holes performed as if it were a top. The rain soaked the field and the worms were coming to the surface once the badger took the opportunity to leave despite the lightness and pasted a binge of annelids.
Badger feeding on earthworms I decide to start the approach, but no impossible things and opportunities are scarce. The terrain is perfect for entry to the bug and I slowly approached to have it about 20 meters, I can hear the breathing of Melandro, the animal that touches the obsession and the situation was much better than ever had imagined. Labored still feeding from the green grass of the field when suddenly raised his head and turned his big nose to me. These animals are completely olfactory and have atrophied pretty sight.
Badger (Meles meles
) (click on image to enlarge)
then turned his head and walked on the edge of the meadow while sniffing the ground and finally lost in a tangle of brambles and fallen branches. It was time dream for the past years. When this happens you blur your eyes and you do not know what to do, I guess that is what happens to quinceañeras when they see their idols or devout Christians when they see the Pope.
Badger (Meles meles
)
new animals now delve into the recesses of my mind: the dormouse, the elusive outrage ... Cantabrian icons wilder and deeper than I have the fortune of seeing and breathing peering the window.
In this hobby, as in life in general there are very few things impossible even though we continuously show one way or another and we try to lead in ways that are obviously the easiest, but not the most satisfactory in most cases. The fact that people ignore that says: Do not study it, has no outlet to photograph this animal is impossible, etc ... are phrases you hear very often and if I had heeded my life would be quite different from what is now. We'll have time to think things impossible when cross our forehead wrinkles and cling to a cane, but has not yet reached that point. Nature is cruel sometimes but very grateful other and we must take every one of those moments. A greeting and I hope you liked the entry. Thank you for visiting the blog.
Badger feeding on earthworms 
