What is American badger?
{{Taxobox | name = Badger | image = AmericanBadger.JPG | image_width = 250px | image_caption = '''American badger''' | fossil range = [[Pleistocene]] {{ndash}} Recent | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordata]] | classis = [[Mammal]]ia | ordo = [[Carnivora]] | familia = [[Mustelidae]] | subfamilia = '''[[Taxidiinae]]''' | subdivision_ranks = [[Genus|Genera]] | subdivision = * '''''Taxidea''''' }} The '''American badger''' (''Taxidea taxus'') is an animal usually found in the [[Great Plains]] area of [[North America]].<ref> {{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/57557352|title=Mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference|date=2005|publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press|isbn=0-8018-8221-4|edition=3rd|location=Baltimore|oclc=57557352}}</ref> It looks similar to the [[European badger]], but it is not closely related to them.<ref> Long, Charles A. 1972. Taxonomic revision of the North American badger, ''Taxidea taxus''. ''Journal of Mammalogy''. '''53''' (4): 725–759.</ref> It is found in the western, central, and eastern [[United States]], northern [[Mexico]], and south-central [[Canada]]. The American badger's habitat lives in open grasslands eating prey (such as [[Mouse|mice]], [[squirrel]]s, and [[groundhog]]s). The badger likes areas such as [[prairie]]s with sandy [[loam]] soils where it can dig easily for its prey. They are found in many places from high alpine meadows to sea level. American badgers are excellent diggers, and can [[tunnel]] rapidly through the [[soil]] using their powerful forelimbs. Badgers are carnivorous. Unlike many carnivores that stalk their prey in open country, badgers catch most of their food by digging. They can tunnel after ground-dwelling rodents with amazing speed. == References == {{reflist}} [[Category:Mustelids]] [[Category:Mammals of North America]]