Badgers generally keep to themselves and don’t bother people. However, due to a few sightings in the Weyburn area, it would be good for locals to know more about them.

“Badgers are very common in our area, they’re pretty much everywhere. Their main prey is things like gophers. We seem to have an abundance of those, so the badgers go where the gophers are,” said Lindsey Leko, Weyburn’s Senior Conservation Officer.

Badgers do allot of stalking at night, but are seen out and about in the daytime as well. They are excellent hunters of earth-dwelling prey including gophers, rabbits, groundhogs, ground squirrels, mice and snakes.

The badgers sense of smell is very powerful and they can detect an animal in its burrow through soil as well as snow cover. When they locate their prey, they dig rapidly directly down into the animals den in a devastating surprise attack from above.

The holes that are created by badgers can be dangerous if a person or animal were to step in one of them by accident.

“The holes that they leave can cause damage to crops or if you have livestock, sometimes badgers will dig large holes that can be a hazard to them,” said Leko. “They could sustain leg fractures and things like that.”

Badgers will only attack humans if they are injured or feel threatened. So if you encounter one, it is best to just leave it alone.

“Their kind of an angry animal,” added Leko. “They don’t like being harassed and they’ll defend themselves. They’ve got some pretty sharp claws that can quickly dig some big holes, and they’ve got sharp teeth and a temper. I think if you stay clear of them you shouldn’t have any problems.”

Though badger habitats can be relatively common on some farms, it doesn't actually include crop fields themselves. Rather, badger activity is usually concentrated in the areas adjacent to the fields, where the level of disturbance is just right to allow grasses, brambles, and other wild plants to grow and go to seed. Almost every farm has some of this habitat, as a natural byproduct of the farming process. Some examples are field and forest edges, old fence-lines, tree-lines, natural area around irrigation ponds or pits, and overgrown areas.

If you happen to spot badgers within the city though, you should call the Conservation Officer Services in Weyburn. Their phone number is: (306) 848-2344

Badgers may be cute, but they are certainly not suitable as pets. Also, it is recommended that you keep your distance from them. Even if you really want to get a selfie with them. Their claws are razor sharp and hard as steel.

Badger in Hole