American Badger - Endangered Species

[Haiku]

I just learned something, it seems that the American badger is an endangered species in Canada.

http://www.rom.on.ca/ontario/risk.ph...pe=fact&id=159

[dieselfuel79]

The majority of badger hair for brushes will typically come from China, for this reason.

[luvmysuper]

So is the American Tourist

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/desti...-decline_N.htm

And I'll wager the Canadians are more concerned about the latter than the former

The US Fish and Wildlife Service does not list the Badger as endangered in the US,
http://www.fws.gov/ecos/ajax/species...on?spcode=A0IY

and it appears that the American Badger that is on the list in Canada is actually a subspecies.
http://www.pc.gc.ca/apprendre-learn/...dger_5ws_e.asp

The majority of badger hair for brushes will typically come from China, for this reason.

It's a totally different breed of badger that is used for Brushes.

The American Badger is Taxidea taxus

The Eurasian Badger is Meles meles

[pipskicks]

So is the American Tourist

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/desti...-decline_N.htm

And I'll wager the Canadians are more concerned about the latter than the former

The US Fish and Wildlife Service does not list the Badger as endangered in the US,
http://www.fws.gov/ecos/ajax/species...on?spcode=A0IY

and it appears that the American Badger that is on the list in Canada is actually a subspecies.
http://www.pc.gc.ca/apprendre-learn/...dger_5ws_e.asp



It's a totally different breed of badger that is used for Brushes.

The American Badger is Taxidea taxus

The Eurasian Badger is Meles meles

Do you know how the American Badger hair comes out? Maybe it was made before it was endangered? Just curious what the different is, brush-hair wise...

I am pretty sure I read that the badger is a pest in China, so it's much different to compare the two for just the reason that one is endangered and one is a pest.

[72plymsatellite]

cuz its an AMERICAN badger.

[GDCarrington]

So is the American Tourist

The American Badger is Taxidea taxus

Great, just great! Now our badgers are taxing us about taxes! Just one more thing we supposedly needed!

[Bellac]

Wow this is funny. To the extent of my knowledge, shaving brushes are made with badger from China. The badgers in China are not endangered and are considered a pest.

[5savages]

cuz its an AMERICAN badger.

And Canada is in North AMERICA.

[rwdflynavy]

One thing for sure. It ain't the Honey Badger! Honey Badger don't give a...well, you know...

[jrocker]

Do you know how the American Badger hair comes out? Maybe it was made before it was endangered? Just curious what the different is, brush-hair wise...

I am pretty sure I read that the badger is a pest in China, so it's much different to compare the two for just the reason that one is endangered and one is a pest.

I have always heard that they are pests in China but I've seen no source for this information.

[ShavinBacon]

one thing for sure. It ain't the honey badger! Honey badger don't give a...well, you know...

ROFL!

[72plymsatellite]

And Canada is in North AMERICA.

its a joke man. get it, an American badger being an Endangered Species in Canada.

[rxonmymind]

Well, I just looked @ all 12,376 hairs of my silvertip and didn't find anything with the words "made in China" . You guys are obviously wrong .....
Now if only someone could have the guts to get the hairs that are a TRUE silvertip......silverback gorilla. Now THAT would be a brush! $50 for the first person to do so! Oh, good luck, God bless, etc...

[Maxime D.]

I heard that many american brush artisans are using chinese badger hairs. I also heard that in china, badgers are a pest for the farmers and their plantations. When they do a badger hunt, they are paid by local administration for the fur. 2 birds, 1 stone

[turbo tom]

Interesting. In Idaho, the American Badger must be doing just fine because it can be both hunted and trapped year round. I know the different species of badgers are quite different both physically and socially. The American Badger is known to be fairly aggressive and the European is known to be capable of it. That may be because the American animals have coyotes, bobcats, cougars, wolves, and bears to deal with on a regular basis...at least the Idaho residents do.

Anyway, I know the typical badger brush is made from Asian Badgers...typically from China. I have no idea what they are like.

As a fan of boar brushes, because I prefer the relative scratchiness compared to badger, I'm wondering if there could be a market for American Badger Brushes. Maybe it would be a scratchier alternative to Asian Badger Brushes?

Maybe next time I see one, I'll find out! Of course my personal philosophy of "you kill it, you eat it" would have to be followed. I would certainly cook it well...maybe post a "how to take a badger from carcass to brush" with some recipes included!

[Maxime D.]

Even if it's a badger from China.....its not like the quality is not there because it's chinese (No offence), I mean the animal is still a badger. XD

[CrotalusHH]

Wow this is funny. To the extent of my knowledge, shaving brushes are made with badger from China. The badgers in China are not endangered and are considered a pest.

The Chinese badgers aren't a pest. They are a food source and so highly prized that the killing of them is strictly controlled.

[oakeshott]

I'm interested in this topic of the harvesting of badger hair and in my spare moments in the last few weeks took a cursory look into it online. Turns out hard information is equally hard to come by. It "appears" as if nearly all of the badger hair for shaving brushes does come from China ( useful link from the Badger Trust http://www.nfbg.org.uk/_Attachments/...ces/284_S4.pdf ). When I get a chance, I'll try and dig up more info. It would be interesting to know how the hair is graded, shipped from china and formed into knots. Is there a better season for harvesting the fur for brushes? Are the badgers eaten as well (heard they were). And what of the rumor of humanely shaving live badgers for their fur?? That's a youtube video just waiting to go viral.

[mblakele]

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...-of-the-badger has some links, if you are not too squeamish. Folks in most European countries had badger on the menu at one time or another.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...s-v-M-leucurus might interest some folks, too.