The genus Meles was previously considered to be monospecific, however, morphological and genetic studies have supported the separation of Meles into four species – the Eurasian Badger Meles meles, the Southwest Asian Badger M. canescens Blanford, 1875 (treated here as a subspecies of M. meles pending the global assessment of a new reduced concept of M. meles), the Asian Badger Meles leucurus (Hodgson, 1847), and the Japanese Badger Meles anakuma Temminck, 1844 (Abramov 2002, 2003; Abramov and Puzachenko 2005, 2006, 2013; Del Cerro et al. 2010; Tashima et al. 2011).

The Eurasian Badger as assessed here includes four subspecies – the Scandinavian Badger M. m. meles (Sweden, Finland, east Norway), the Norwegian Badger M. m. milleri Baryshnikov, Puzachenko et Abramov, 2003 (southwest Norway), and the mainland European Badger M. m. taxus (Boddaert, 1785) (British Isles and continental Europe east to the Volga; Abramov and Puzachenko 2006, 2013). The forth subspecies, M. m. canescens is accepted as a valid species by the Mammal Diversity Database (ASM 2024) but is retained here until IUCN Red List assessments of M. canescens and of the new taxonomic concept of M. meles (excluding M. m. canescens) can be published (in progress, October 2024).

European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

This species is listed as Least Concern for both Europe and for the EU 27 Member States in view of its wide distribution, relatively large population, occurrence in a number of protected areas, and because it is unlikely to be declining at nearly the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category.

In the European region, the Eurasian Badger (Meles meles) is widespread from the British Isles throughout Europe west of the Volga River up to the Middle Volga (Russia; both sides of the Volga in Nizhnii Novgorod Province), from Fennoscandia in the north to Central and Southern European Russia. It occurs from sea level to 2,200 m in the Alps (Spitzenberger 2002). Badgers from the Mediterranean islands of Crete and Rhodes belong to M. m. canescens (Abramov and Puzachenko 2013).

The global range extends from the European region to the Caucasus, the Anatolia region of Türkiye, east to Tajikistan, and south to the northern Arabian Peninsula. M. m. canescens occurs in the Caucasus, Iran, Iraq, Israel, and the southern mountains of Middle Asia (Kopet Dagh Mountains, the South and West Tien Shan Mountains). The Asian Badger M. leucurus occurs on the eastern edge of Europe eastward of the Volga River. The sympatric zone between these species is the country between the Volga and Kama rivers (Abramov et al. 2003). The Eurasian Badger is distributed in the west and north districts of Kirov Province, with the east and south of this province inhabited by the Asian Badger. Genetic studies revealed hybridisation between the two species in the contact zone there (Kinoshita et al. 2019).

The species is abundant throughout its range, and populations are generally stable or increasing. Population densities of this species have increased in Europe during recent decades (Holmala and Kauhala 2006). In central Europe, the population is increasing due to the reduction in rabies, and in western Ukraine, the population has increased. In Britain, there was a 77% increase in the total population size from the 1980s to the 1990s (Battersby 2005). There are large differences in population densities across its range (Prigioni 1999). In Finland, near the northern limit of its distribution, the population density is low at about 0.2 to 0.25 individuals per km² (Kauhala in litt. 2006), whereas in Britain densities of up to 19.7 individuals per km² have been recorded (Prigioni 1999).

It prefers deciduous woods with clearings or open pastureland with small patches of woodland. It is also found in mixed and coniferous woodland, scrub, suburban areas and urban parks (Prigioni 1999). It is an opportunistic forager with an omnivorous diet, including fruit, nuts, bulbs, tubers, acorns, and cereal crops. It also consumes a variety of invertebrates (especially earthworms), wasp and bee nests, birds' eggs, carrion, and live vertebrate prey such as hedgehogs, moles, and rabbits. In the northern parts of its range, the species hibernates during the winter months. The home ranges of this species in Finland are very large, with a mean of about 15 km² (Kauhala et al. 2006), and their social system is peculiar, with large overlapping home ranges without any communal dens (K. Kauhala in litt. 2006). In Finland, it does not reproduce every year and the litter size is small (Kauhala et al. 2006).

The Eurasian Badger is sometimes persecuted as a pest and as a disease vector. In the United Kingdom and Ireland the species is associated with bovine TB (Mycobacterium bovis), and significant badger culls have been undertaken over a number of years. In Central Europe, the population was formerly severely reduced by rabies, but that threat has now decreased with rabies controls. During hunting for foxes or raccoons the badger is often killed as bycatch

In the Russian Federation the species is legally hunted for its meat and fat, which is used as a medicine. In Germany, the species is hunted annually. Badgers are heavily hunted in Finland: the annual harvest has increased in recent years, being about 10,000 badgers now (K. Kauhala in litt. 2006). The hunting season in Finland is the whole year, with the exception of females with young being protected in May, June, and July (K. Kauhala in litt. 2006).

The species is sensitive to habitat fragmentation and the size of the remaining patches is important for the continued survival of the species. It is possible that the introduced Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) competes with the badger in parts of its range, and a project in Finland is looking into this possible threat (K. Kauhala in litt. 2006).

Road mortality can be significant.

The bristles are used in shaving brushes. In the Russian Federation the species is hunted for its meat and fat which is used as a medicine.

The Eurasian Badger is listed on Appendix III of the Bern Convention. It is protected under national legislation in a number of range states: e.g., Schedule 6 of the UK Wildlife and Countryside Act, the Protection of Badgers Act (UK), and Schedule 5 of the Irish Wildlife Acts. In Albania it is considered Endangered. The species is found in many protected areas.