The American Badger, Taxidea taxus, is a North American badger, somewhat similar in appearance to the European Badger.
It is found in the western and central United States, northern Mexico and central Canada. This animal prefers dry open areas with deep soils that are easy to dig, such as prairie regions.
American Badgers have a triangular face with a distinctive black and white pattern and a stocky body covered with shaggy grizzled fur. They have short powerful legs with long sharp claws on the front paws and shorter claws on the back paws.
These animals prey on ground squirrels and other small mammals, often digging to pursue prey into their dens. They also eat birds, snakes and insects. They are mainly active at night, but may be active during the day. They do not hibernate but may become less active in winter.
They are normally solitary animals for most of the year. Males may breed with more than one female. Mating occurs in the summer, but implantation is delayed and the young are born in an underground burrow during late winter.
They have few natural predators other than humans. The numbers of these animals has declined due to persecution by farmers and the extermination of many of their prey in agricultural areas.
