Elements in Nature: American Badger
American Badger
Taxidea taxus
Range: Continental US and Canada
Badger can help us learn self-reliance and self-expression. Just as they make many burrows and tunnels, and use different ones for different things, we may have to make new plans if communications cause obstacles in the old ones.
Throughout this article practical information is shown as normal text and reflections in italics.
American Badger
NPS Photo by Sally King
Badgers are the 2nd largest member of the weasel family. Except during mating and rearing of young, badgers are solitary animals. Badger will take on animals twice its size, even bear. However, despite such ferocity, it seldom picks a fight preferring to retreat if necessary. Because they are unsociable with others – even their own kind – they alert us to communication or miscommunications, implying there are things going on outside of us that could be hidden. (In Europe it was once considered sport to bait badgers, and the verb “to badger”, meaning tease, annoy, persecute, derives from that cruel practice.)
Appearance: Flattish body, wider than high, with short bowed legs. It sports a white, badge-like mark on its forehead. Outer skin is loose, has thick, tough fur and heavy neck muscles so the bites of other animals are less likely to injure badger. This trait and the fact that badger is also a solitary animal, points out that we must rely upon ourselves, trusting our own endeavors, regardless of the bites and opinions of others. Shaggy coat, grizzled gray to brown. Short, bushy yellowish tail. Face dark brown or black with white cheeks; narrow white stripe runs from above nose to over head to nape. Snout pointed and slightly upturned. Ears small. Feet dark, with large foreclaws.
Young badgers are born in the spring and usually separate in the fall. They have learned what they needed to know to live on their own, reminding us that we know enough to live on our own and must assert ourselves along those lines. Are we relying too much on others and not our own efforts?
Habitat: Open plains and prairies, farmland, and sometimes edges of woods. Den; burrow with 8 to 12” elliptical opening to accommodate flattish shape, surrounded by large mound of dirt scattered with bones, fur, rattlesnake rattles and droppings. Digs faster than a human with a shovel, throwing dirt 4 to 5’ in the air. Seeing beneath the surface of people and all things. If there are obstacles, now is the time to look beneath the surface. Are we digging deeply enough? The digging is also symbolic of having knowledge of the earth – minerals, roots, herbs. This makes the badger’s energy very healing and badger reminds us if there are health issues to act aggressively and holistically in dealing with them.
Nocturnal primarily, but often active by day, waddling about and occasionally moving at a clumsy trot. Home territory varies from 590 to 4,200 acres. Although primarily terrestrial, it swims and even dives, and on hot days sprawls in shallow water to cool off. It buries its droppings and cleans itself frequently. Although badger does not hibernate, it may be come torpid in coldest part of winter, remaining in a nest chamber deep within its burrow for several days or weeks. While we measure ourselves often by our productivity or active periods, we must remember that we must also go within, allowing time to build for future activity and assimilate what we have learned. The badger’s inactive periods remind us there is a time for spiritual pursuits as well as mundane pursuits and now is a time to dig into these activities. It reflects a time of successful self-reliance and practical pursuits. If we work hard on pursuits they will succeed and lay a foundation for future projects. Times of solace are not wasted times.
Feeds mainly on small burrowing mammals, rabbits, moles, lizards, woodchucks, snakes, ground squirrels, pocket gophers, rats, and mice. Can destroy the burrows of an entire ground squirrel colony. Visits its own abandoned dens as prey may reside in them; digs up hibernating animals. Coyotes often watch the digging and catches prey from the escape opening, but they don’t formally hunt together. Fond of rattlesnake meat the badger is evidently not harmed by the venom unless struck in the nose. Mostly carnivorous, eats invertebrates, birds, reptiles and carrion; it buries or stores its surplus meat, parts of other animals for future use. Because of this it can be thought of as the keeper of stories of other animals. This reminds us there are times to make a new story for us and our life. If stories come to you from outside yourself, care for them; learn to give them where they are needed. Sharing by storytelling can be rewarding as it is a giving and receiving.
References:
National Audubon Society Field Guide to Mammals, Pg 772-775, Copyright 1996, Published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York.
Animal-Speak, Ted Andrews, Copyright 1993. Llewellyn Publications, 2143 Wooddale Dr, Woodbury, MN, pg 246-247
Nature Smart A Family Guide to Nature, by Stan Tekiela and Karen Shanberg, Copyright 1995, Pub by Adventure Publications, Ic. Cambridge, MN pg 125
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