They're Back!

Since last April, the city of Mountain Home has been greeted by some familiar but largely unwelcome guests -- badgers.

Like last year, the badgers are young kits or cubs whom their mothers send off to find food.

According to the Mountain Home Animal Shelter, they have received 12 badger calls since April, six of those calls within the last week.

Reportedly, there have been no injuries to any residents from the badgers, which are known for their mean temper. Those that are found are relocated to the Mountain Home Reservoir.

"They are more afraid of us than we are of them," said Danelle Rhatigan, Mountain Home Animal Shelter superintendant.

If you see a badger within the city limits, contact Mountain Home Animal Shelter at 587-2111.

Badgers are short-legged, heavy-set carnivores of the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are some eight species of badger, in three subfamilies (see links in species list below): Melinae (badgers of Europe and Asia), Mellivorinae (the Ratel or honey badger), and Taxideinae (the American badger).

A male badger is a boar, a female a sow and a young badger is a cub. A collective name suggested for a group of badgers is a cete, but badger colonies are more often called clans. Badger dens are called setts.