Endless Ocean

American Badger P2

Male badgers sexually mature when they are 6 months old or when they are yearlings.

However 30 percent of the females have been known to breed when they are 4-5 months old. The mating season is from August to September. 

The a new mother stays in her den for 250 days before her children are born. 50 days are growth days for the embryo. Birth happens during the months of April to June (in higher altitudes)

Usual Litter Size: 2 to 7 young badgers are born

 Common litter is known to be 3.

Females care for their young alone.

Badgers move away from their birth den when they reached six months old.

Badgers are territorial through most of the year. Territories range in size from 3 to 4 square miles or 4.8 to 6.4 square kilometers.  Territory varies due to the type of rodents found underground. They don't need to fight other badgers and territories regularly overlap. With the exception of the dispersal of the young badgers, other badgers badgers do not emigrate. They walk from place to place. They trot or bound when they want to. They are nocturnal, but have been known to be active during daylight hours in quiet areas.

Habitat: Places with sandy or porous soil are preferred. Badgers love wooded areas where the soil is suitable for digging

Skills: They have keen smelling and keen hearing. 

With these skills and their  powerful claws for digging they can find a underground den of rodent type animal locate the exit owl, plug it up and then start digging for their prey. These long claws help loosen the soil pass it backwards underneath the animal and then their hind feet it kick the dirt out behind them.

This dirt will 6 to feet or 1.8 to 2.4 meters in a continuous arc. This is one of the ways you know you have a badger near by. They rely on their sense of smell and hearing they close their eyes when they start digging.

They have a number of dens among the territory.

These dens are quite elaborate.

Tunnels that lead up to the main chamber are 20 to 30 feet (6.1 to 9.1 meters) long and 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 meters) deep. Dens that have been constantly used by many generations of badgers have up to 30 or 40 exits. Those tunnels are 15 feet deep. The main chamber is elevated to prevent flooding or 4.6 meters 

Bedding grass and leaves are set outside the den to air out and then brought back in. 

Badgers have been known to tolerate foxes and coyotes sharing their den. This is a rare but simple example of cross species relationships.

In fact there is record that in 1871 a Canadian boy got lost slept in a den with a badger who may have slightly alarmed at first but after a few minutes finally got use to the boy and brought food to him appearing to adopt him.

Badgers are determined fighters when threatened. Their loose fitting skin makes it very difficult for large animals to hold them securely. Unlike bears they do not hibernate. They can sleep over extended periods when necessary during cold weather. Winter dens can be found in woodlands where frost does not penetrate as deeply. They stay underground for weeks but occasionally come out to hunt since they do not store food.

Out of all badgers, this one is the most carnivorous. Their diet ranges from chipmunks, ground hogs, ground squirrels, mice, and rabbits. It will eat carrion when available and insects. Rattlesnakes are also common of a badger's menu although badgers will not eat its head. Badgers eat carrion when it is too hard to dig underground to find rodents. Keeping their claws sharp are one of the badger's top priorities. They will sharpen their claws by scratching trees or posts.

A badger is considered old at 12 years old.

Their tracks are easy to spot to due to the long claw left by the front feet.

Distance between the front feet and the hind feet of an adult male are 9 inches to 10 inches or 22 cms to 25 cms apart. They are rarely found in the southwest of the United States and have been over the years gradually moving eastward. 

Scientific Name: Taxidea taxus