I think this aired in 2008. Apologies if this has been posted before, but I just saw it and noticed a few things of potential interest. Of course we all know that most badger brush knots come from China, and that British badgers are not used for brushmaking. But it is still interesting to see how these badgers live, and some of this information might help us understand the availability and quality of badger hair.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy-Of81WFL4
If I heard correctly this documentary claims that 25% of all badgers in Britain are killed annually, mostly in road accidents. Only 1/3 of young badgers survive their first year. However badgers reproduce rapidly, so culls and hunting probably do not affect population levels for very long. At the same time I saw little evidence that badgers damage crops or otherwise act like pests.
The diet of these badgers was varied and changed through the year, from earthworms and slugs to peanuts, cherries, and apples. It seems likely that diet and climate both have an effect on hair quality. Of course both would vary widely from the UK to Russia to China, which may help explain why British badgers were not used for brushes even before they were protected by law. There may also be genetic differences that affect the hair. The two populations live a long way apart, and European badgers are classified as Meles meles while the Chinese hair is said to be Meles leucurus. Pre-WWII badger hair sourced from the Baltics might conceivably be either species. But if Plisson knots are really from European badgers then it seems likely that diet and climate affect hair quality more than genetics do. Speculating, climate may have the greatest effect on hair quality. Despite the wintery scenes in this documentary, the UK may not get cold enough to produce top quality badger hair.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy-Of81WFL4
If I heard correctly this documentary claims that 25% of all badgers in Britain are killed annually, mostly in road accidents. Only 1/3 of young badgers survive their first year. However badgers reproduce rapidly, so culls and hunting probably do not affect population levels for very long. At the same time I saw little evidence that badgers damage crops or otherwise act like pests.
The diet of these badgers was varied and changed through the year, from earthworms and slugs to peanuts, cherries, and apples. It seems likely that diet and climate both have an effect on hair quality. Of course both would vary widely from the UK to Russia to China, which may help explain why British badgers were not used for brushes even before they were protected by law. There may also be genetic differences that affect the hair. The two populations live a long way apart, and European badgers are classified as Meles meles while the Chinese hair is said to be Meles leucurus. Pre-WWII badger hair sourced from the Baltics might conceivably be either species. But if Plisson knots are really from European badgers then it seems likely that diet and climate affect hair quality more than genetics do. Speculating, climate may have the greatest effect on hair quality. Despite the wintery scenes in this documentary, the UK may not get cold enough to produce top quality badger hair.
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