AnAge entry for Meles meles

Classification (HAGRID: 02189)

Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
    Phylum: Chordata
        Class: Mammalia (Taxon entry)
            Order: Carnivora
                Family: Mustelidae
                    Genus: Meles
Species
Meles meles
Common name
European badger, or Old World badger
Synonyms
Ursus meles

Lifespan, ageing, and relevant traits

Maximum longevity
18.6 years (captivity)
Source
ref. 671
Sample size
Medium
Data quality
Acceptable
Observations

The implantation can be delayed and extend the gestation time up to one year. One captive specimen lived 18.6 years [0671]. There are also anecdotal reports, which can be true, of one animal living 19.5 years in captivity [0554].

Life history traits (averages)

Female sexual maturity
365 days
Male sexual maturity
365 days
Gestation
49 days
Weaning
90 days
Litter size
3 (viviparous)
Litters per year
1
Inter-litter interval
365 days
Weight at birth
80 g
Weight at weaning
Adult weight
13,000 g
Postnatal growth rate
0.0196 days-1 (from Gompertz function)
Maximum longevity residual
89%

Metabolism

Typical body temperature
310ºK or 37.0ºC or 98.6ºF
Basal metabolic rate
16.6470 W
Body mass
11050.0 g
Metabolic rate per body mass
0.001507 W/g

References

External Resources

Integrated Taxonomic Information System
ITIS 621922
Animal Diversity Web
ADW account
Encyclopaedia of Life
Search EOL
NCBI Taxonomy
Taxonomy ID 9662
Entrez
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Ageing Literature
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Images
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Internet
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