Badger

NPS Photo/John Collins

Scientific Name

Taxidea taxus

Identification

• 13-25 lbs
• Medium-sized with short legs and a wide body
• Have a distinctive face with a black and white stripes
• Have thatched black, brown, and white fur on their torso, which gives their coat a unique blended appearance

Range and Habitat

Badgers are well adapted to life underground and dig burrows for shelter. Their typical habitats are open grasslands, prairies, and pastures across much of the Great Plains and western North America. Along the Missouri National Recreational River, badger burrows can often be found at Bow Creek Recreation Area.

Diet

These mammals are carnivores and often dig for and eat small rodents like ground squirrels, mice, voles, and groundhogs. They will also hunt for insects, snakes, and ground-dwelling birds. Their diet helps control rodent populations.

Fun Facts

• Badgers are solitary animals except during mating season, which is in summer and early fall.
• They are excellent diggers with powerful foreclaws. It is said that they can dig a burrow faster than a person can with a shovel.
• A badger often maintains and switches between several burrows/sets of dens, especially during the summer. Though when temperatures get lower, they tend to occupy one burrow for longer.
• By digging, they help aerate soil and also provide shelter for other species via their abandoned burrows.

 

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