American Badger

== Description ==
The American badger (Taxidea taxus) is a member of the Mustelidae, a diverse family of carnivorous mammals that also includes weasels, otters, ferrets, and the wolverine. It is similar in appearance to the European badger, although not closely related. American badgers prefer to live in areas such as prairie regions with sandy loam soils where they can dig more easily for their prey.
== Appearance ==
American badgers have stocky and low-slung bodies with short, powerful legs, they are identifiable by their huge foreclaws (measuring up to 5 cm in length) and distinctive head markings. These animals possess morphological characteristics that enable them to be good fossorial specialists, such as a conical head, bristles on the ears, and nictitating membranes in the eyes. American badgers have powerful forelimbs. They also possess a strong humerus and large bony processes for the attachment of muscles. Except for the head, the American badger is covered with a grizzled, brown, black, and white coat of coarse hair or fur, giving almost a mixed brown-tan appearance. The coat aids in camouflage in grassland habitats. Its triangular face shows a distinctive black and white pattern, with brown or blackish "badges" marking the cheeks and a white stripe extending from the nose to the base of the head.
== Distribution ==
American badgers are widely distributed around northern Mexico, the west and central parts of the USA, the south-central part, and the west coast of Canada. These animals prefer grasslands and open areas with grasslands, which can include parklands, farms, and treeless areas with friable soil and a supply of rodent prey. They may also be found in forest glades and meadows, marshes, brushy areas, hot deserts, and mountain meadows. In Arizona, they occur in desert scrub and semidesert grasslands. Badgers are occasionally found in open chaparral (with less than 50% plant cover) and riparian zones but they are not usually found in mature chaparral.
== Lifestyle ==
Badgers are solitary animals. They lead nocturnal life, meaning that they are most active at nighttime. Meanwhile, in remote areas, far from human settlements, they are often seen in the daytime, wandering in search of food. Although not hibernators, badgers, with the approaching of winter, become passive and undergo short (about 29 hours long) periods of torpor. American badgers are top-notch diggers, using their strong front limbs, easily permeating through the soil. Their homes are burrows: holes dug in the ground. These underground holes serve as dwellings and protection. A usual burrow is located at the depth of 3 meters under the ground, containing a big ‘bedroom’, and a sleeping chamber, while the total length of all tunnels is about 10 meters. Each badger has several burrows all around the area of its living. When badgers feel danger, they attack and bite the object abruptly, accompanying it with fizzing and snarling.
== Diet ==
American badgers are fossorial carnivores that often dig to pursue prey into their dens, and sometimes plug tunnel entrances with objects. Their usual ration consists of voles, deer mice, wood rats, prairie dogs, gophers, squirrels, moles, marmots, birds, and even insects.
== Reproduction ==
The American badger is polygynous, meaning that one male can mate with multiple females. As the breeding season comes, both males and females begin to extend their home ranges in search of mates. Home ranges of males cover bigger territory and can overlap with the home ranges of neighboring females. Mating lasts from August to September and the gestation period is about 1.5 months (6 weeks). Thereafter, 1-5 cubs are born while the average number is 3 at once. Over the following 4-6 weeks eyes of the cubs are closed and the female looks after them until they are 2-3 months old, usually leaving them after another 2-3 months. A female badger reaches reproductive maturity when it’s 4 months old and mates during its 1st year while a male starts mating no sooner than the autumn of its 2nd year.
== Population ==
=== Population threats ===
The major threat to American badgers is humans. People destroy their habitat, hunt them down and trap the badgers for pelts. American badgers are also poisoned by farmers and hit by cars. In addition, the fur of badgers is used in the production of painting and shaving brushes.
=== Population number ===
According to IUCN Red List, the American badger is locally common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. The U.S. population was roughly estimated at several hundred thousand individuals. The Canadian population, according to a 1998 questionnaire, was estimated at 13,700-28,900 individuals in Saskatchewan province and 3,000-5,000 individuals in Manitoba province, providing an estimated Canadian Prairie population of 17,700-43,900 individuals. In Canada, the subspecies T. t. jacksoni in Ontario is estimated to be 200 individuals and the subspecies T. t. jeffersonii in British Columbia contains 600 individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.
=== Ecological niche ===
American badger feeds on small animals such as snakes, and rodents, thus controlling their populations. They also eat carrion and insects. Their dens are used by other species as shelter while due to digging, badgers loosen the soil. When hunting, the American badger frequently cooperates with coyotes, these two hunt simultaneously in the same area. Actually, this unusual collaboration makes the process of hunting way easier. Thus, targeted rodents break out of burrows, are attacked by badgers, and fall into the hands of coyotes. In their turn, badgers prey on rodents that flee into the dens. However, it’s a moot point whether this collaboration is really advantageous for badgers.
== Fun Facts ==
Males of the American badger are called boars while females - are sows. Youngsters are called cubs.
American badger has a keen sense of olfaction and hearing, meanwhile being almost blind.
American badger is a hermit. It leads a solitary life, preferring to be alone.
In spite of being timid, badgers are brave. When scared, a badger can enter into an unequal battle with multiple times larger animals i.e. coyotes, wolves, dogs, and, sometimes, humans.
Badgers are persecuted by farmers because of stealing eggs and chickens.
Cottontail rabbit, a small mammal, often finds protection in badgers’ dens.
== Gallery ==
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== Main References ==
https://animalia.bio/american-badger
Category:Animals
Category:Animalia
Category:Chordata
Category:Vertebrata
Category:Vertebrates
Category:Mammals
Category:Mammalia
Category:Carnivora
Category:Caniformia
Category:Mustelidae
Category:Taxideinae
Category:Taxidea
Category:Nocturnal Animals
Category:Carnivores
Category:Terrestrial Animals
Category:Altricial Animals
Category:Fossorial Animals
Category:Burrowers
Category:Viviparous Animals
Category:Torpor Animals
Category:Predators
Category:Polygynous Animals
Category:Solitary Animals
Category:Non-Migrational Animals
Category:North American Animals
Category:Animals of Canada
Category:Animals of Mexico
Category:Animals of the United States
Category:Least Concern Animals