• Wind Cave National Park - Two Worlds

    Wind Cave

    National Park South Dakota

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  • Elk Mountain Campground Closed

    The Elk Mountain Campground is closed and will remain closed through the summer of 2013 due to across the board budget cuts.

Badger

Badger
Badger - Taxidea taxus
Click picture for more information
NPS Photo by Tom Bean
 

Class

 Mammalia
Order Carnivora
Family Mustelidae, weasel family (long slender bodies, short legs) include skunks, mink, otter, weasel, martens, badger, wolverine.
Genus Taxidea
Species taxus
Name/
History		 Marks on the face looks like a badge.
Size
Weight (lbs)

Male
17-25

Female
13-20

Young
Achieves
adult size
by fall
Height (in)

22-28

18-22
Tail (in) 3-4
Rut July-August, promiscuous
Gestation Delayed implantation, fetus does not develop until February
Birth February-May above ground by themselves in 4-5 weeks, but tire easily. If they are moved they are probably carried by mother.
# young 2-5
Age 12 years
Habitat/
Range

Open grasslands, deserts. Lives in own burrow. Range northern Canada to central Mexico, Pacific coast to central lakes states.
Food Rodents, vegetation, birds
Predators Humans (occasionally coyotes)
Disease Rabies, tularemia
Communication

Scent seems to play dominant role.
Behavior/
Characteristics		 Mostly nocturnal, solitary.


Did You Know?

Bull Elk

Elk were the most widely distributed member of the deer family in North America and spread from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from Mexico to northern Alberta.  Elk began to disappear in the eastern United States in the early 1800s. More...