General Distribution
Distribution of American badger on National Forest System lands is spotty and not well documented
(Stephenson and Calcarone 1999). This species is known to occur, or could potentially occur, on all
four southern California national forests.
Known localities in the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains on the San Bernardino National
Forest are largely in desert montane areas. These include Highway 243 south of Banning, Coxey Creek,
Burnt Flats, Redonda Ridge, Lone Pine Canyon, and Cajon Wash northwest of the city of San
Bernardino (Stephenson and Calcarone 1999). Similar habitat associations were reported by Vaughan
(1954) for the San Gabriel Mountains on the Angeles National Forest, where evidence of American
badgers was most commonly found in Joshua tree woodlands and pinyon-juniper associations on desert
slopes. Additional records for the San Bernardino Mountains include observations of road-killed
badgers at Mill Creek Ranger Station, and in the towns of San Bernardino and Colton adjacent to the
San Bernardino Mountains, as well as sight records for Banning, Big Bear Ranger Station, and Burnt
Flats. Known localities on and adjacent to the Cleveland National Forest are mostly on private land in
coastal foothill valleys near Ramona, Pamo Valley, Santa Ysabel, Witch Creek, and Sweetwater
Reservoir (Stephenson and Calcarone 1999). Six records for American badger were reported by the Ojai
Ranger District of the Los Padres National Forest during 1996 field surveys. Systematics
Long (1972) recognized four subspecies of American badger in North America. On the basis of
museum specimens, he identified two separate subspecies, T. t. jeffersonii and T. t. berlandieri, as
occurring in California. T. t. jeffersonii is generally larger and darker-colored and is found in cool, moist
areas along the Pacific coast, most of the Sierra Nevada, and most of the Great Basin regions of
California (Williams 1986). T. t. berlandieri is smaller and lighter-colored and is found in hotter, drier
grassland associations in the Central Valley and desert areas in southeastern California (Williams 1986). Habitat Requirements
American badgers occur in a wide variety of open, arid habitats, but are most commonly associated with
grasslands, savannas, mountain meadows, and open areas of desert scrub (Stephenson and Calcarone
1999). They are not usually found in mature chaparral (Quinn 1990). The principal habitat
requirements for this species appear to be sufficient food (burrowing rodents), friable soils, and
relatively open, uncultivated ground (Williams 1986). American badgers are primarily found in areas of
low to moderate slope (Stephenson and Calcarone 1999). Burrows are used for denning, escape, and
predation on burrowing rodents (Long 1973). Reproduction
American badgers mate in summer and early autumn, and young are born in March and early April
(Long 1973). The average litter size is about three, but ranges from one to five. Male badgers are
polygamous but usually do not reach sexual maturity until two years of age. Females generally reach
sexual maturity as yearlings; impregnation has been reported in juvenile females as early as 4–5 months
of age (Long 1973). Daily/Seasonal Activity
American badgers are mostly nocturnal, but they have also been reported to forage and disperse during
the daytime (Lindzey 1978, Messick and Hornocker 1981). American badgers are usually solitary,
except during the mating season and when females are rearing young (Long 1973). The species is active
year-round, except at high elevations and latitudes, where individuals become torpid during the winter.
At lower elevations, American badgers exhibit reduced surface activity (Long 1973) and have been
known to remain in a single burrow for days or weeks (Messick and Hornocker 1981). Diet and Foraging
American badgers are carnivorous and are opportunistic predators, feeding on mammal species such as
mice, chipmunks, ground squirrels, gophers, rabbits, and kangaroo rats. They also eat reptiles, insects,
birds and their eggs, and carrion (Williams 1986, Zeiner and others 1990). Territoriality/Home Range
There is little information available on the territoriality of American badgers. Family members may
share the territory of a female (Seton 1929). Males are generally solitary except in the breeding season
(Messick and Hornocker 1981). American badgers have large home ranges. Although home range size
varies according to geographic area, distribution of food resources, and season, the general range of this
species is 395–2,100 acres (137–850 hectares) (Lindzey 1978, Messick and Hornocker 1981, Sargeant
and Warner 1972). Predator-Prey Relations
American badger is a ferocious fighter (Long 1973) and has very few predators. Coyotes and golden
eagles have been reported to prey on American badgers (Long 1973). Literature Cited
Grinnell, D.J.; Dixon, J.S.; Linsdale, J.M. 1937. Fur-bearer mammals of California: Their natural
history, systematic status, relationship to man. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Hall, E.R. 1981. The mammals of North America. 2d ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Larson, C.J. 1987. Badger distribution study. California Department of Fish and Game. Non-game
wildlife investigations report. Project W-65-R-4.
Lindzey, F.G. 1978. Movement patterns of badgers in northwestern Utah. Journal of Wildlife
Management 42: 418-422.
Long, C.A. 1972. Taxonomic revision of the North American badger, Taxidea taxus. Journal of
Mammalogy 53: 725-729.
Long, C.A. 1973. Taxidea taxus. Mammalian Species 26: 1-4. Published by the American Society of
Mammalogists.
Messick, J.P.; Hornocker, M.G. 1981. Ecology of the badger in southwestern Idaho. Wildlife
Monographs 76: 1-53.
Minta, S.C.; Minta, K.A.; Lott, D.F. 1992. Hunting associations between badgers (Taxidea taxus) and
coyotes (Canis latrans). Journal of Mammalogy. 73(4): 814-820.
Quinn, R.D. 1990. Habitat preferences and distribution of mammals in California chaparral. PSW-202.
Berkeley, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Sargeant, A.B.; Warner, D.W. 1972. Movement and denning habits of a badger. Journal of Mammalogy
61: 375-376.
Seton, E.T. 1929. Lives of game animals. 4 volumes. Doubleday and Co., Garden City, NY.
Skinner, S. 1990. Earthmover. Wyoming Wildlife. 54(2): 4-9.
Stephenson, J.R.; Calcarone, G.M. 1999. Southern California mountains and foothills assessment:
Habitat and species conservation issues. General Technical Report GTR-PSW-172. Albany, CA: Pacific
Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Vaughan, T.A. 1954. Mammals of the San Gabriel Mountains of California. University of Kansas
Museum of Natural History Publication.
Williams, D.F. 1986. Mammalian species of concern in California. California Department of Fish and
Game Report 86-1. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Fish and Game.
Zeiner, D.C.; Laudenslayer, W.F., Jr.; Mayer, K.E.; White, M., eds. 1990. California's Wildlife. Volume
III: Mammals. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Fish and Game.
Information gathered from California DFG - California Interagency Wildlife Task Group
