Eurasian badger vs Long-eared Hedgehog

Meles meles compared with Hemiechinus auritus

Key Differences

• Eurasian badger is Vulnerable while Long-eared Hedgehog is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Eurasian badger	Long-eared Hedgehog
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Erinaceomorpha (Erinaceomorpha)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Erinaceidae
Genus	Meles	Hemiechinus
Species	Meles meles	Hemiechinus auritus

Evolutionary Relationship

Eurasian badger and Long-eared Hedgehog share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (Mammals)

Conservation Status

Eurasian badger

VU — Vulnerable

Long-eared Hedgehog

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Eurasian badger	Long-eared Hedgehog
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Eurasian badger

Habitat

Inhabits Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Long-eared Hedgehog

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Cyprus, Spain, and Ukraine.

Eurasian badger

Eurasian badger (Meles meles) is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Facing a high risk of endangerment in the wild, with declining populations and increasing habitat pressure.