Badger
The bulldozer of the weasel family.
About This Species
With their flattened, oval shaped, long grizzled brownish fur, distinctive white stripe on the forehead (sometimes continuing down the back) and powerful build, badgers are easy to identify. They are the "bulldozer" of the weasel family. Large front claws suggest a capable burrower. The face is black with pale marks, the feet are black and the belly is pale. Badgers are well protected from most predators by a thick hide and generally unpleasant disposition.
More Information:
Physical Characteristics
Total length is 28-32 inches, a short tail only four to six inches in length. Weights range from 11-22 pounds.
Habitat
Badgers are animals of open country. Their oval burrows (ten inches across and four to six inches high) are familiar features of grasslands on sandy or loamy soils of the eastern plains or shrub country in mountain parks or western valleys. Badgers occasionally live above timberline.
Diet
Badgers eat mostly burrowing rodents, such as ground squirrels and pocket gophers, which they dig up during evening or early morning. They also eat nestling birds and rabbits, as well as insects. When frozen ground protects burrowing rodents from attack, badgers turn to mice. In especially cold weather, badgers may simply retreat to their burrow to sleep.
Reproduction
Badgers mate in late summer. Implantation of embryos is delayed until February. One to four young are born in early spring. They grow quickly and leave their mothers during their first autumn. They first breed as yearlings.
Threats to Species
The badger has few natural predators. While some are killed for fur, habitat loss and vehicular accidents are greater causes of mortality.