Are There Badgers in Florida?

 

Some people get confused with the term badgers, thinking all badgers are or look the same. Honey badgers are only called badgers because of their physical resemblance to Eurasian badgers. They are not true badgers, not even closely related.

Honey badgers are more related to weasels and somehow to skunks, having similar defense mechanisms. When threatened, Honey badgers can drop a stink bomb to shoo their predators away.

American Badgers

Back to the question, are there badgers in Florida? The answer is a resounding yes. American badgers found in Florida are also known as New World badgers. The term New World is coined for animals that are exclusively found in the whole American continent. Sadly, American badgers are hunted because of their pelts. They are now considered as protected, or species of special concern.

Unlike their Eurasian cousins who live in groups and are known as the friendliest badger species, American badgers are aggressive, generally solitary and only look for other badgers during their mating season. They communicate with other American badgers through chemical signals, using scent, especially during the mating season.

Badgers in Florida

Although Wisconsin is the one known as the "badger state" since 1957, you can actually see them anywhere in the US, including Florida. If you are lucky enough, you might even see a badger hunting its prey in the wild with a coyote, a mutualistic relationship that amazes even scientists.

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