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American Badger

American Badger line art illustration (click image to enlarge)

American Badger full color illustration (click image to enlarge)

Artist's notes:

The American Badger was completed on 2.28.2010. While driving across Nevada, a badger came out onto the road in front of my car. Luckily, I was able to honk the horn and move, and he (or she?) scurried back into the brush. These are marvelous little animals and it was fun to finally render one. The drawing is based on a photo by Jason Gegere.

Information about the American Badger:

The American Badger is found in the western and central parts of the US, central Canada and northern Mexico. They prefer a habitat of dry, open areas with deep soils that are easy to dig up, such as prairies. They are a member of the Mustelidae family, which includes the wolverine, ferret and weasel. They are low, stocky animals usually weighing about 15 pounds and a length of 30 inches, with large foreclaws. They are opportunistic omnivorous animals, feeding on plant matter and small animals such as gophers, ground squirrels, moles and other rodents. They will also attack ground nesting birds like swallows and burrowing owls, as well as lizards and insects.