Albuquerque East Side American Badger (Taxidea taxus) Study

This study is underway! We are estimating the population of American badger in the east side Albuquerque bosque from Alameda to Cesar Chavez, thanks to many donations including our major funder: Pathways. Tracker volunteers are combing the bosque for fresh digs, burrows and tracks, where we place lure-based camera traps to capture distinct dorsal head stripes to determine individuals. I will wrap up in August 2025 with a GIS map and scientific paper for master's thesis at Prescott College.

Send photos of badgers or volunteer for the badger study by emailing me here

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Badger burrow identification:​

Opening approx. 7-10 inches wide/high, often angling into ground., often wider than tall, or at least equal height/width.​ Horizontal claw marks often visible in side walls of burrow, unlike in canine digs. Can angle straight down, usually when digging after gophers. Often but not always found on slopes or embankments.

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Badgers dig dens to spend one or more nights, sometimes enlarging the holes of their prey, such as ground squirrels.. Overnight dens are identified by a large throw mound of over three feet square. 

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Smaller digs, many in an area, indicate foraging for voles, pocket gophers, ground squirrels, grubs or insects.

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