American badger (Taxidea taxus)
Family: Mustelidae
Range: Throughout Eastern Washington
IUCN Status: Lower risk; least concern

Description:
Most notible about their appearance is their low-slung body and short legs with long front claws. This particular species has black and white badges on it's triangular face, and a white stripe streching from the nose to the base of the head. It's body is peppered with white and grey fur and a white stomach. The strong front legs and long claws are well adapted for digging and burrowing.

Habitat Requirements:
This animal prefers dry, open areas with deep soil that are easy to dig, such as prairies. Humans have had a negative impact on some badger populations. They are often unwanted animals in agricultural areas and determined extermination of their prey as pests has driven some populations to endagerment. Of the three subspecies in the US, Taxidea taxus jeffersoni, the subspecies found in Washington, is now considered endangered in Canada.

Ecology:
The American badger is mostly a solitary animal, usually only expanding its territory to reproduce and raise young. Males breed with multiple females in summer. However, there is delayed implantation and one to five offspring are born underground in late winter. These animals do not hibernate, but they can go into a state of torpor, or reduced activity and metabolism, for over 24 hours at a time, coming out on warmer days. During other times of the year, they are mostly nocturnal as this is when their prey is most often active.

Diet:
Badgers are fossorial (adept for digging and burrowing) and feed primarily on burrowing small mammals such as ground squirrels, mice and voles, though they will also eat birds, insects, and snakes.

Badgers have also been known to work with coyotes when hunting. Between the fast hunting of the coyote and the badger's ability to dig quickly and fluch out prey, not much can make it past this duo.

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