A burrowing carnivore famously fierce — they can dig faster than a human can shovel and have been seen hunting cooperatively with coyotes (the only documented cross-species hunting partnership in North America).
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The American badger is a North American badger similar in appearance to the European badger, although not closely related. It is found in the western, central, and northeastern United States, northern Mexico, and south-central Canada to certain areas of southwestern British Columbia.
Source: Wikipedia — American badger Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Flat-bodied with distinctive white stripe running from nose to back; gray-brown body; massive front claws.
Similar species. Hog-nosed Skunk (longer snout, different markings). Mexican Badger (similar; Mexican range).
Voice. Snarls, hisses, grunts.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Ground squirrels (primary), prairie dogs, rabbits, snakes, mice.
Behavior. Powerful digger — can excavate own burrows and chase prey into theirs. Active mostly at night.
§ Range
Western and central US, southern Canada, northern Mexico
§ Habitat
Open grasslands, prairies, sagebrush, agricultural fields
§ Threats
Vehicle strikes, persecution by ranchers, secondary rodenticide poisoning, agricultural conversion of prairie.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the american badger is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Drive carefully on rural Western roads. Avoid second-generation rodenticides. Support prairie conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — American badger
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Taxidea taxus
- IUCN Red List · taxon 41663
- iNaturalist · taxon 42025
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Taxidea taxus
§ Sources cited
- NWF Wildlife Guide
- American Badger Foundation
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List 2016
