If you have been paying attention to the animal world over the last several months, you will have noticed an increase in popularity for the fierce Honey Badger, and rightly so since they are incredible creatures, but I kind of feel bad for their cousin, the American Badger. So today, we are going to give this North American Badger their moment in the spotlight. If you happen to live in western or central United States, central Canada or northern Mexico then this won’t be a very big trip for you. Everyone else, pick one of these places, pack your bags and lets go on a little North American adventure to track down the fierce American Badger.

An Angry Badger

You may be asking yourself if the American Badger is as “crazy” as the Honey Badger. Personally, I think the Wolverine is the only other animal on the planet that can match the fearlessness and fierceness of the Honey Badger. With that said, I wouldn’t try and cuddle the North American species as these animals are still incredibly aggressive. Their nasty behaviour makes it very difficult for predators to decide whether or not the potential meal is worth the trouble. Occasionally, animals such as the Golden Eagle, Coyotes, Cougars, Bears and Wolves will attack the smaller and weaker individuals in an attempt to grab a quick meal. They still need to be careful though…I mean, have you seen the claws of an American Badger?

Den Digging Time

Yes the front claws of the American Badger measure approximately 5 cm (2″) in length and look incredibly scary. Although these claws will help defend against an attack, the main purpose of these claws are for digging. This particular badger loves to dig and will typically have several burrows and dens scattered throughout their home range. I can understand this behaviour because who didn’t love digging in the sandbox as a kid? They use these dens for a number of activities including hunting, concealment, torpor (similar to hibernation) and of course for raising a family. Throughout the summer months they usually spend each day in a different den and will typically dig out the new home a few days before actually occupying it. It seems like they have the whole denning thing down to an art…they must have loved going to the sandy beach as a kid.