American badger habitat is typefied by open grasslands with available prey (such as mice, squirrels, and groundhogs). The species prefers areas with sandy loam soils where it can dig more easily for its prey, such as prairie regions.This animal has most of the general characteristics common to badgers; with stocky and low-slung bodies with short, powerful legs, they are identifiable by their huge foreclaws (measuring up to 5 cm in length) and distinctive head markings. Measuring generally between 60 to 75 cm (23.6 to 29.5 inches) in length, males of the species are slightly larger than females (with an average weight of roughly 7 kg (15.5 pounds) for females and up to almost 9 kg (19.8 pounds) for males). Northern subspecies such as T. t. jeffersonii are heavier than the southern subspecies. In the fall, when food is plentiful, adult male badgers can exceed 11.5 kg (25.3 pounds),except for the head, the American badger is covered with a grizzled, silvery coat of coarse hair or fur. Its triangular face shows a distinctive black and white pattern, with brown or blackish "badges" marking the cheeks and a white stripe extending from the nose to the base of the head. In subspecies the white head stripe extends the full length of the body, to the base of the tail.
Badgers sometimes use abandoned burrows of other animals such as foxes or animals similar in size. They will sometimes form a mutually beneficial relationship with coyotes. Because coyotes are not very effective at digging rodents out of their burrows, they will chase the animals while they are above ground. Badgers, in contrast, are not fast runners, but are well adapted to digging. When hunting together, the two animals effectively leave little escape for prey in the area.The American badger is a fossorial carnivore. It preys predominantly on pocket gophers,ground squirrels,moles, marmots,prairie dogs,pika,woodrats,kangaroo rats,deer mice,and voles, often digging to pursue prey into their dens, and sometimes plugging tunnel entrances with objects.They also prey on ground-nesting birds, such as the bank swallow or sand martin and burrowing owl, and lizards, amphibians, carrion, fish, skunks,insects, including bees and honeycomb, and some plant foods such as corn,peas, green beans, mushrooms and other fungi, and sunflower seeds.The average longevity in the wild is 9–10 years and the record is 14 years;a captive American badger lived at least 15 years and five months.These animal occur primarily in grasslands, parklands, farms, and other treeless areas with friable soil and a supply of rodent prey.They are also found in forest glades and meadows, marshes, brushy areas, hot deserts, and mountain meadows.for cute pics.....
1 comment:
Do you know who took these pictures of Badger's? are they copyrighted?
Post a Comment