American Badger

Taxidea taxus

Badgers are solitary predators whose specialty is digging out ground squirrels, prairie dogs, and other burrowing animals. They have long curved claws on short powerful legs and can dig with amazing speed.

Look For : A short, wide, flattened animal with a black-and-white face, and a gray or brown coat of coarse fur with some white mixed in.

Length : Body 16-28" long, tail 4-6" long; 8-25 lb.

Habitat : Prairies, plains, and farmlands.

Range : Southwestern Canada and western U.S., east to northern Ohio and eastern Texas.