Taxidea taxus

Two distinctive features help with identification:  The head and the paws with claws. The head is black and white, with brown or black shapes like badges on the cheeks.  In Taxidea taxus, a white stripe extends from the nose to the base of the neck. Genetic variations may result in the white stripe extending along the back. Each paw contains 5 long claws, facilitating digging for prey and burrow creation. The body is a mixture of brown, gray and white fur that supports being camouflaged in grassland habitat. The tail is an extension of the body’s fur and is not distinct, shorter than a raccoon’s in length. Adult males and females are not significantly different in size, about 30” in length, with an average weight of 15-25 pounds. Juveniles have the same appearance and range 8-12 pounds in weight in their first year of life.

The range of this species includes open grasslands, foothills of mountains, and open plains, including Western and Midwestern U.S. and southern Great Lakes region. (Also in Canada and Mexico). Historic large ranges have been significantly reduced and fragmented due to discontinuity of habitat from development and human encroachment. 

American Badger occurs in grassland habitat where fresh water sources are available through streams or rivers and preferred prey is available – primarily pocket gopher, meadow vole, ground squirrel and prairie dog. Sloping hillsides and foothills are idea for creation of sleeping burrows, dug from foraged out prey mounds or holes. Male badgers will forage and remain in an area of a home range typically for 1-2 weeks. A female adult badger will establish a preferred territory and will return to a burrow complex and re-use the area, if perceived secure for giving birth and raising young, through her adult life. A female adult will give birth typically to 2-3 young who are blind and helpless to week 6 of life, and emerge from the burrow complex at about age 2-3 months. Juveniles disperse from their mother at approximately 5-6 months of age.

The timing of the mating season is generally in Autumn, from late September through November. Young are born in approximately February and are blind and helpless for the first 6 weeks of life. The adult female badger will hunt during daylight in late Winter through Spring and remain with her young, for safety, at night. In remote areas without human encroachment, adult males and females can be observed foraging during daylight. From June through late August, juveniles who are dispersing from their mother may be observed during daylight. Loss of life often occurs during this time period, from vehicle strikes while crossing a roadway. A sighting of an adult during daylight from February through late May can be considered as a possible adult female with young nearby in a burrow complex. The American Badger is generally a solitary mammal and will create a sleeping burrow from a foraged out prey hole, leaving the burrow behind to benefit other species, including Burrowing Owl, Skunk, Fox, and in California Tiger Salamander and Red-Legged Frog.