Where Do Badgers Live? – Exploring the badger Habitat

Owing to the presence of various badger species in different regions of the world, there could be no single badger habitat where we can point out all the badgers live. Indeed, badgers can adapt themselves to different kinds of environments. It doesn’t mean that all the badgers could live in one place. Different badger species live in different habitats. In this article, we are going to explore all the different territories of the badgers to find out where do badgers live.

Where Do Badgers Live - Badger Habitat
A badger in a grassland.

Where do badgers live?

The regions where most of the badgers live are North America and Europe. In these regions, we can find a very stable population of badgers. In the USA, you can easily find badgers in states like Texas, California, Wisconsin, Oregon, Michigan, etc.

There is also a large population of badgers in Southern Canada as well as Northern Mexico. In all of these regions, badgers prefer to live in grassland and pastures like environments. In this type of environment, they can hunt a lot of rodents and use them for their diet.

You can also locate badgers in areas like deserts, forests, etc. Sometimes they have also been spotted in Mountain type regions. They don’t like to live in an unfamiliar environment. Badgers like to live in a habitat where they can find an opportunity to thrive properly. Nevertheless, they are capable of living in the extreme wilderness.

Some common badger habitat locations

Various species of badgers live in various kinds of habitats. For instance, American badgers live in the ‘Great plains’ of North America. According to the animal diversity web, they have also been located in the western states of the USA, central Canadian provinces, and mountainous areas of Mexico.

Honey badgers mostly live in South Africa and Hog badgers in southeast Asia Sumatra and India. Asian badgers live across Russia, China, and eastern Europe. The European badgers are located in the range between Ireland and Spain to eastern Russia, japan, and china.

Although badgers can survive in different kinds of habitats. However, they prefer to live in specific kinds of habitats. Let’s have a look at these common badger habitats.

  • Grasslands
  • Prairies
  • Deserts
  • Mountains
  • Plains
  • Forests
  • Swamps
  • Meadows

Why do badgers like grasslands?

Badgers may like to live in open grasslands but it is not the most appealing habitat for the badgers. It is actually the wildlife, which lives in the surroundings of the grasslands, that is the most appealing for the badgers in the form of diet. Badgers can easily hunt down rodents in the grasslands which is the major source of their diet. Badgers also like to dig underground tunnels in the open grasslands. These digs are used for hiding, sleeping, and protection against predators.

How does badger habitat help in their survival?

If badgers don’t live in a habitat that is compatible with their long-term survival, then the badger’s population might have been added to the list of endangered species by the IUCN. The habitat of the badgers plays a great role in their long-term survival. There are several wild animals whose habitat doesn’t contribute to their survival.

Most of these animals are on the list of endangered species. Nowadays, humans are playing a major role in the destruction of badger’s habitat which is highly dangerous for their long-term survival. These practices must be curtailed to preserve the biodiversity of animals. Any habitat which impacts the mating season of wild animals proves pernicious for the growth in the population of these animals.

Badger territories: where do you find badgers?

Let’s discuss in what kind of territories badgers like to live. Usually, badgers establish their own territories which are almost 175 acres in size. This is their home range. It can be smaller or larger than this and it all depends upon the habitat where they live. They usually like to expand their territories when the mating season comes.

They like to live in territories where they can easily find their prey like rodents. They dig to find out rodents like gophers, weasels, etc. Badgers are nocturnal, that’s why they also like to live in territories where there are very less chances of their predators.

Overall, the badgers like to live in regions that are excellent for their survival. They also take into account the environmental hazards while choosing the habitat for themselves. If we take into account all of these factors, we can easily conclude that the best habitat for the badgers is grasslands.

Where are badgers found?

Generally, badgers live in North America and Europe. The major population of badgers is living in only these two continents. In North America, badgers live in open grasslands away from the human population. In Europe, badgers also like to live in the same kind of places. Badger watching is a common hobby in the UK. People could not go to the badger territories very easily but they can observe them from a distance in the Zoo. There are many predators of the badgers but humans are most prominent among these.

Do badgers live underground?

Badgers like to dig many burrows which are also called setts. These dens are connected through underground tunnels. They are like various chambers of a badger’s den. They make their special beds by bringing materials like dried straw and grass. They like to sleep on these beds. They also do these preparations before mating season.

Where do badgers live in the US?

It is difficult to determine exactly which state has the most or lowest number of badger’s population. It is generally believed that badgers live ‘Great plains’ of the North American continent. However, the top most states where badgers are most likely to be found are Texas, Nebraska, and Kansas.

Ranges of badgers in North America
Ranges of badgers in North America.

Do badgers live in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin is a state in the far east of North America. It is reported that there was a very large number of badger’s population in this state. In 1950, badgers were also named the official state animal of Wisconsin. Gradually, the badger population reduced in Wisconsin and now you can find only a few badgers in this state. It is strictly prohibited to hunt badgers in this state.

Badgers in Texas: Where do badgers live in Texas?

Texas is the second largest state in the US. Many badgers have been spotted in this state. They look very cute while shuffling through the Prairies of Texas. Badgers live across a significant range of Texas except for the eastern portion of the state. They like to live in a wide range of meadows, hot deserts, and forests. In Texas, they are mostly found in the uncultivated land of prairies. Normally, badgers like to live in a treeless habitat like open grasslands.

Honey badger habitat

Honey badgers are normally not included in the category of badgers. They are found in Africa and Southeast Asia. They can adapt themselves to various kinds of environments like forests, swamps, deserts, mountainous regions, and also plains. They don’t look like badgers and show more resemblance with skunks or weasels.

Honey badger habitat - Example
Honey badger habitat – Example

Where do honey badgers live?

They are very tough and can easily withstand various kinds of habitats. They like to live in very large and long-range houses. The size of the den of the honey badge is up to 193 square miles. They are solitary animals and only make pairs during mating season. Honey badgers also scent special glands for marking their territory. They like to change their sleeping spots and roam from one place to another.

According to the University of Michigan, Honey badgers are also found in the western states of the USA, central Canadian provinces, and hilly areas of Mexico. They have very thick skin which also makes them eligible for living in snowy and cold areas like Alaska.

Frequently asked questions

If we look at the population of badgers in the various regions of the world, then we can conclude that badgers have a quite stable population. They are also not endangered species and have not been included in the red list of IUCN.

It means that there is no major concern about the badger population. If humans are continuously assaulting their habitat or they have to face the brunt of climate change, then it might be possible that the badger population will be endangered in near future.

Badgers like to live in open grasslands but they are adaptable enough that they can easily withstand the conditions of various types of environments. You can find them in deserts, mountains, forests, swamps, etc. However, they like to live in the Habitat where they can find their diet easily.

Badgers make several burrows and interconnected them through tunnels and these are called dens or sett. They also make special chambers where they can mate with female badgers. They also like to make special beds of dry straws for sleeping inside the chamber.

Conclusion

Badger’s habitat is a very interesting thing to know about. Many people are confused about the exact location of the badger’s habitat because there are many species of badgers who live in altogether different kinds of environments. However, one thing is in common in these habitats.

All the badgers prefer to live in open grasslands where they can find their diet in the rodents quite easily. In this article, we have resolved all the confusion about the badger’s habitat and explained in detail all the points about the badger’s location.

Izzy foxx on a vet tour in africa

Izzy Foxx

Izzy is an experienced ranch worker who has a passion for exploring nature and getting up close to wildlife. With her connections to various animal organizations, Izzy is well-versed in animal care and rehabilitation.

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