A badger is a great digger. It has strong front paws. Its teeth and claws are very sharp. It has short legs and a flat body. A badger’s face is triangular. It has a white stripe running from its nose to the back of its head.

The badger lives alone. In North America, it lives on dry plains or open prairies. A badger uses many burrows and dens. It may have one for sleeping, one for storing food and one for hunting.

A badger digs its prey out of the ground. It eats small mammals, snakes, and insects. It can dig into an animal’s burrow and hide to wait for the animal to return. The badger may bury food to store and eat later. It is mainly active at night.

A badger lives four to ten years in the wild. When cornered by a predator, it is a fierce fighter. Its jaw is very strong. The fur lies loose on its muscular neck. It is hard for an attacker to bite the badger’s neck.

Badger fur was once used to make brushes for painting and shaving!