Stats

Lifespan

4-10 yrs

Size

Medium

Diet

Carnivore

Activity

Nocturnal

Social

Solitary

Biome

Temperate grassland

Range

North America

Movement

Burrowing

Breeding

Live birth

Defense

Burrowing

Status

Uncommon

About

A stocky, low-slung burrowing carnivore of North American grasslands and prairies, marked by a bold white facial stripe running from nose to shoulders. Its powerful front claws can dig faster than a human with a shovel, letting it pursue ground squirrels and prairie dogs straight into their own tunnels.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   newborn

   A live-born newborn nurses on its mother's milk and depends on her for warmth and protection.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   A weaned juvenile begins eating solid food and learning from its parents or group.
3. 3.
   adult

   Fully grown at adult size.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Carnivora

Family

Mustelidae

Genus

Taxidea

Species

Taxidea taxus