Brad Bulin
Taxidea taxus
American Badger
DESCRIPTION
Badgers are one of the largest members of the mustelid family, and they maintain
the short legs and somewhat elongated body of that group. The group’s anal glands are
also present, reportedly used in defense. Badgers weigh between 6-11 kg (13-24 lb) and
measure 700-800 mm (28-31 in) in length, not including the tail. Males are typically
larger than females. Badger fur is grayish-white and rather long. Other telltale features
include a dark nose, white dorsal stripe on the head with large black cheek spots
surrounded by white, and extremely long claws on the forefeet. The entire animal
appears very low to the ground with short, powerfully-built limbs.
Cranial features show a robust skull with a broad cranium and a high sagittal crest.
The skull is 113-141 mm in length. The dental formula is: I 3/3, C 1/1, P 3/3, M1/2 for a
total of 34 teeth. The most posterior upper tooth (M1) and the upper carnassial (P4) are
large and nearly triangular.
(Kurta, 1995; Long and Killingley, 1983; Neal and Cheeseman, 1996)
DISTRIBUTION IN WISCONSIN
Historical Records and Current Distribution
Badgers were recorded throughout Wisconsin in the early 1900’s. The clearing of
forest at the time of settlement is believed to have led to a population increase in
Wisconsin and nearby regions of northern Illinois and Indiana. Recent surveys also
indicate that the population is currently increasing, perhaps due to an increase in
grassland habitat throughout the state.
Badgers are distributed throughout the state, but seem to be concentrated more in
the central, northern, and western regions. Their abundance appears to be irregular, as
they are spread out in association with their primary habitat—grasslands. Badgers also
appear to be less common in counties bordering the Great Lakes. A 1975 Wisconsin
survey indicated populations in the state appear to be stable or growing slightly.
(Cory, 1912; Jackson, 1961; Kurta, 1995; Rigney, 1999)
Fossil Records and Taxonomy
Fossil evidence indicates Taxidea is related to the European species of badger,
Meles, but became isolated in North America during the mid or late Pliocene epoch. A
North American fossil badger, Pliotaxidea, appears to be an ancestor or closely related
link to Taxidea. Taxidea evolved into a separate species and currently exists only in
North America. There are 4 known subspecies of Taxidea taxus currently reported, all
distributed in North America. Of these, only subspecies Taxidea taxus jacksonii is found
in the Great Lakes region.
(Long, 1973; Long and Killingley, 1983; Neal, 1986)
ONTOGENY AND REPRODUCTION
Badgers mate in August and September, but, like many mustelids, they partake in
delayed implantation. This usually takes place in February. Mothers will line a den with
grass and give birth to 2-5 slightly furred young in late March to early May. Youngsters
do not open their eyes until 1 month of age. They are weaned in 2-3 months, and
juveniles will disperse her maternal care after 5-6 months. Some females are able to
breed during their first winter, but males do not usually breed until their second year.
Badgers are mostly solitary, as males and females seem to avoid each other except
during mating. Males typically have larger home ranges than females, yet both occupy
smaller areas in winter. Badgers have been known to live in captivity for up to 26 years,
but the average life span in the wild is 4-5 years, with some surviving up to 14 years.
(Kurta, 1995; Messick and Hornocker, 1981)
ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR
As aforementioned, badgers prefer grassland habitats, but may also be found in
abandoned fields, pastures, and, rarely, woodlands. Although primarily nocturnal, they
are sometimes active during the daytime hours. Badgers are carnivorous and typically
feed on fossorial rodents, most notably the plains pocket gopher, thirteen-lined ground
squirrel, and woodchuck. Acute senses of smell and hearing help them to locate prey in
their burrows. The outstanding digging ability of badgers is used to excavate burrows
and dig out prey, often making trial digs to help locate animals. Badgers are
opportunistic feeders, however, and will readily supplement their diet with voles, mice,
birds, bird eggs, insects, grubs, and caterpillars. They have also been shown to change
their diet, both seasonally and yearly.
In winter, badgers have the ability to lower their body temperature from the
normal 38 degrees Celsius to 29 degrees Celsius for short periods of time. In Wyoming,
winter burrow temperatures were shown to remain higher than outside temperatures.
These features, coupled with about a 10% loss in body fat during the winter months,
allow a badger to reduce the need to forage during cold temperatures.
Badgers have few natural enemies other than humans. Low to the ground and
fiercely defensive, very few animals pose any real threat to the badger. In fact, badgers
have been known to successfully fend off a pack of dogs.
(Harlow, 1981; Jackson, 1961; Kurta, 1995; Messick and Hornocker, 1981; Neal, 1986)
REMARKS
The state of Wisconsin and the badger have a long history of association. Early
miners, who stayed in small caves and dugouts (similar to badger dens) during cold
winter months gained the nickname “badgers”. Since that time, Wisconsin became
known as the badger state, and relegated upon the badger the title of Wisconsin’s state
animal. One of the state’s universities, the University of Wisconsin—Madison, took on
the badger as its official mascot, in part due to the animal’s fierce and powerful nature.
Economically, badgers once provided fur for hats and coats and their hair has
historically been used in shaving brushes. As predators, badgers are important in
reducing populations of rodents which may damage crops or be considered pests. On the
other hand, badger burrows may present a hazard to cattle and horses. The badger can
host a variety of internal parasites and is susceptible to rabies and tularemia; however,
trapping, hunting, and automobiles cause the majority of badger mortalities in Wisconsin,
They have virtually no natural predators, as few wild animals will attack a badger.
(Jackson, 1961; Long and Killingley, 1983; Long, 1992; Nowak, 1999)
REFERENCES:
Cory, C. B. 1912. Mammals of Illinois and Wisconsin. Field Museum of Natural
History, Chicago, USA.
Harlow, H. J. 1981. Torpor and other physiological adaptations of the badger (Taxidea
taxus) to cold environments. Physiological Zoology 54:267-275.
Jackson, H. H. T. 1961. Mammals of Wisconsin. The University of Wisconsin Press
Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Kurta, A. 1995. Mammals of the Great Lakes region. The University of Michigan
Press Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Long, C. A., and C. A. Killingley. 1983. The badgers of the world. Charles C Thomas,
Springfield, Illinois, USA.
Long, C. A. 1973. Taxidea taxus. Mammalian Species 26:1-4.
Long, C. A. 1992. Status and economic importance of the North American badger,
Taxidea taxus (Schreber). Small Carnivore Conservation 7:4-7.
Messick, J. P., and M. G. Hornocker. 1981. Ecology of the badger in southwestern
Idaho. Wildlife Monographs 76:1-53.
Neal, E. 1986. The natural history of badgers. Facts on File Publications. New York,
New York, USA.
Neal, E. and C. Cheeseman. 1996. Badgers. T & AD Poyser Ltd. London, Great
Britain.
Nowak, R. 1999. Walker’s mammals of the world. John Hopkins University Press,
Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Rigney, H. 1999. Still at home in the badger state. Wisconsin Natural Resources
Magazine December, 1999.
<http://www.wnmag.com/stories/1999/dec99/badgers.htm> Accessed 30 Oct
2003.
Reference written by Brad Bulin, Biology 378 student. Edited by Christopher Yahnke.
Page last updated.