Mammals · Carnivora · Mustelidae

American Badger

Taxidea taxus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It digs so fast that it can vanish underground in seconds when chased, into burrows up to 3 metres deep. Cooperative hunting between American badgers and coyotes has been documented.

Weight

4 kg – 12 kg

Size

42 cm – 88.7 cm

Lifespan

12 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

DesertGrasslandCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Desert Grassland Mammal

3countries 5parks28same family

Fun facts

It can vanish underground within seconds when chased.
It occasionally hunts cooperatively with coyotes, pressing prey from different directions.
Its gestation can stretch to seven months through delayed implantation.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Open prairie, grassland and cold desert of North America, from southern Canada to Mexico
Birth weight: 93.5 grams
Size at birth: Blind and helpless, thinly furred at birth
Sexual maturity: Female: 4 months (though most do not breed until their first year) | Male: 16 months
Gestation / incubation: A total gestation of up to 7 months through delayed implantation, with only 6 weeks of active embryonic development
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 5 young per litter (most commonly 3)
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 25-26 years in captivity