The nocturnal mammal with a black-and-white striped face and powerful digging claws is the badger. Its short legs, broad body, long claws, and sturdy forelimbs are adaptations for excavating burrows and searching underground for prey.
“Badger” refers to several related mammals in the mustelid family, including the Eurasian badger, American badger, and honey badger. They are not all marked identically, but many have dark facial markings and pale stripes or patches. Most badgers shelter in underground burrows, known as setts, and are primarily active at night.
A common mix-up is the skunk, which may also have bold black-and-white markings. Skunks are famous for their defensive spray, while badgers are better known for digging, strong jaws, and living in burrow systems. The honey badger is a particularly tough relative, although it belongs to a different badger lineage than the Eurasian badger.