THE ANIMAL FILES

American badger

Taxidea taxus

A striped face leads a body built to move soil.

American badgers hunt many animals that live below ground. Their short, strong limbs and large foreclaws let them pursue prey into burrows, while excavated spaces also provide shelter for the badgers themselves.[1]

Follow the evidence ↓
American badger
Image: Yathin S Krishnappa · Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
Build
Low body with powerful forelimbs[1]
Prey
Burrowing rodents feature prominently[1]
Shelter
Enlarged prey burrows and excavated dens[1]

Force behind the claws

Large foreclaws are supported by robust forelimb bones and strong muscle attachments. Digging depends on this entire lever system, not simply on having long nails. The tapered head also suits movement into confined underground spaces.[1]

Hunting follows the tunnels

Pocket gophers, ground squirrels and other burrowing mammals are common prey. Badgers can dig into their dens and sometimes block tunnel entrances. Their broader diet also includes insects, reptiles and some plant foods.[1]

A burrow can have a second occupant

A hunted-out burrow may be enlarged into a resting den. Some shelters are used briefly, while winter and nursery dens may be occupied longer. Abandoned excavations can later be used by other small animals.[1]

A COMMON MIX-UP

Does a powerful digger eat only underground prey?

No. Burrowing mammals are important, but the recorded diet extends to other animal foods and some plants.[1]

TRY A LITTLE REASONING

Why might a prey-rich area contain reused badger dens?

Reveal the explanation

A burrow can supply shelter near food, and an existing excavation can be enlarged or revisited rather than replaced each time.[1]

Sources & editorial notes

Adapted and translated from the cited Wikipedia revisions, with source-linked reasoning. Image credit and licence are listed separately above.

Adapted and translated from Wikipedia contributors; exact revisions are linked below. CC BY-SA 4.0

  1. Wikipedia contributors — American badger (fixed revision; adapted and translated)
  2. NCBI Taxonomy — Taxidea taxus (identity and classification)

Last fact check:

One discovery leads to another

European badgerAn underground home needs bedding, not just tunnels.Meles meles ↗FerretA “war dance” can be an invitation to play.Mustela putorius furo ↗Sea otterA sea otter can carry a meal back up in a fold of skin.Enhydra lutris ↗