Dan Belton ( No Badger Cull ) In Memoriam
Badger Family Fortunes
www.badger.org.uk/Content/Home.asp
One last sentimental one of the badger family together, I know the pictures all look the same but I like the way mum's keeping a lookout here while her three babies do some snuffling. She's the best badger mom ever !
She could ( and hopefully will ) become pregnant in the next couple of weeks when the blastocysts ( hollow balls of cells ) that have been dormant in her uterus implant in the uterine wall. It's possible that the blastocysts could have been present in her uterus since February after succesful mating soon after she gave birth. This period of delayed implantation therefore can be as long as 10 months or if they mate succesfully in December implantation can occur almost immediately. It's thought that changes in day length trigger implantation by increasing the amount of the hormone progesterone through increased activity of the pituitary gland. Gestation lasts 50 days and the majority of cubs are born in February. A significant number of pregnancies fail however for a number of reasons including poor body condition; she looks so big and healthy at the moment though, I really hope that doesn't happen, fingers crossed .
Yep, I've swallowed a badger book !! Thanks for putting up with my badger obsession, I think I've run out of pictures now : )
Badger Family Fortunes
www.badger.org.uk/Content/Home.asp
One last sentimental one of the badger family together, I know the pictures all look the same but I like the way mum's keeping a lookout here while her three babies do some snuffling. She's the best badger mom ever !
She could ( and hopefully will ) become pregnant in the next couple of weeks when the blastocysts ( hollow balls of cells ) that have been dormant in her uterus implant in the uterine wall. It's possible that the blastocysts could have been present in her uterus since February after succesful mating soon after she gave birth. This period of delayed implantation therefore can be as long as 10 months or if they mate succesfully in December implantation can occur almost immediately. It's thought that changes in day length trigger implantation by increasing the amount of the hormone progesterone through increased activity of the pituitary gland. Gestation lasts 50 days and the majority of cubs are born in February. A significant number of pregnancies fail however for a number of reasons including poor body condition; she looks so big and healthy at the moment though, I really hope that doesn't happen, fingers crossed .
Yep, I've swallowed a badger book !! Thanks for putting up with my badger obsession, I think I've run out of pictures now : )