Badger
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
Species: Taxidea taxus
Characteristics
The badger is a short, robust, flattened mammal that has a narrow, whitish stripe running over the crown of its head from its muzzle to its shoulder. This white line is matched on each side of the face by white cheeks and white ears trimmed with black. The fur is much shorter on its head than on its back and sides where it hangs loosely on the animal. The underside has very little fur. The normal color of its hair is creamy-buff with black-brownish bands, giving it a grizzled appearance. Its stubby tail is covered with fairly stiff, huffy-brown hair. The front feet have very long claws for digging, while the rear feet have short claws.
Both sexes are similar in size with an average length of 28 inches and weight between 12 and 16 pounds; extra heavy ones can reach up to 25 pounds. Badgers, like other members of the Weasel family, have scent glands that give off a musky odor when the animal is excited.
Life Cycle
Mating takes place from May to August. However, the actual implantation of the embryo is delayed until mid-December when the embryo begins active growth. The gestation period is about 46 days and are born in February. Litter size ranges from one to four. They are weaned when half grown, but food is still brought by the mother until they are three quarters grown. Thereafter, they begin to hunt with the mother and gradually learn to hunt on their own. At 10 to 12 weeks old, they become independent.
Food
The badger is a carnivore, and its food consists mainly of ground squirrels, pocket gophers, mice, voles, and other rodents. They will raid bees' nests and take birds and their eggs as well. Other food sources include snails, insects, and snakes. They often wait in ambush within a burrow for unwary animals.
Habits
The badger is a very powerful digger and a courageous fighter. It seems to be a solitary animal except during mating season. When badgers run, they have a distinct waddle. They appear to be most active at night, but at times, they may be seen sunning near their burrows in early morning or late afternoon. The badger, unlike other members of the Weasel family, hibernates during the winter. It is generally a quiet animal but, when threatened, it may hiss and snarl trying to intimidate the animal or person following it.
Population
The overall badger population is abundant and mainly occurs in areas where gophers and ground squirrels abound.
Habitat
Badgers are found mainly in open prairie, plains, farmlands, and open foothills where sandy loam areas occur that permit easy digging, and which can support other burrowing rodents. Badgers generally have many dens; some are dug in search of prey and may be used only temporarily but are often returned to. Special dens are dug for rearing their young and may be up to 30-feet-long and 10-feet-deep and have more than one entrance with a large dirt mound at the main hole.
Economic Value
The fur from badgers can be quite valuable. However, there is much variance in the quality of badger fur. Some have fairly short hair, while others have quite long hair. The long, clear-colored furs bring good value and are used mainly for specialized purposes. The fur is quite durable, and badger hair is known for its use in shaving brushes.
Badgers help control pest populations but may also create problems for farmers and ranchers because the large burrows and mounds are a hazard to machinery and livestock.
Distribution Status
The range of the badger covers all of Montana. They are common in east of the mountains in grassland areas and are rare in timbered areas. The badger is classified a non-game species in Montana.
