The American Badger is a tireless digger, but even a badass member of the weasel family needs a break from time to time. This one surveys the prairie from its den entrance, its fearsome front claws on full display. For some reason I have a soft spot for these fearsome little predators - they are probably my favourite mammal to photograph out here where the wind blows hard and the prairie either freezes in winter's grip or broils in the glare of summer.
I'm already looking forward to spring, the next "transition season" when nature is a little more moderate in what it tosses our way. And of course the diversity of life erupting all around as the prairie spring unfolds.
I have more badger images to share, but will move on to some different subjects for the next little while.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2024 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
Tags: American Badger Taxidea taxus wildlife animal mammal predator digger claws powerful fierce prairie dog town den entrance wild prairie Grasslands National Park Saskatchewan Canada copyrighted James R. Page 2024
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Same time and location as yesterday's shot - here's a look at those formidable front claws.
The badger had excavated two large holes near the road; I don't know if they were connected underground. It went from one to the other and did not appear to be hunting. I suspect it was a temporary den.
Badgers move their denning locations frequently, often digging several and moving from one to the other every night or second night. Following this encounter I kept an eye on the two mounds, but did not see this individual again.
I had four fabulous badger photo ops this past fall - this is the greatest location I've ever stumbled upon for badger photography. But these chances overall are few and far between. Months can go by, and... nothing. In the 14 full years I have lived in Saskatchewan, I've had only 16 extended encounters - the kind that go beyond one or two grab shots. Four of them came this past fall. And I'm out there a lot, looking, looking. It was a little like winning the lottery. Better, in fact, because I have never been motivated by money. I don't need any more "stuff" in my life; not interested. Just give me more badgers!!!
One more shot to come of this little predator...
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2024 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
Tags: American Badger Taxidea taxus wildlife animal mammal predator claws low profile powerful digger wild prairie Grasslands National Park Saskatchewan Canada copyrighted James R. Page 2024
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This is the first of three American Badger shots from Grasslands. Pure luck.
One September evening I was out with my tripod and a wide angle lens, shooting the landscape, when a little car pulled up. The driver called to me and asked if I knew where the Burrowing Owls were. Yes, I knew: they were somewhere to the south along their migratory route. She was disappointed, but as always, timing is everything.
I told her there was still a lot of wildlife activity in the park and she thanked me and headed toward the campground; I passed her shortly thereafter when she stopped to watch a big bull bison at close range.
Half an hour later, driving slowly through a prairie dog town, I saw a Badger right beside the road. It had excavated a couple of large holes - maybe a new den, maybe digging for prairie dogs. I pulled up and started shooting from the rolling red Toyota blind - full frame with wonderful detail in great light!
A moment later the visitor's car pulled up alongside me. I rolled down my window. "Did you see the badger?" She had not. "Okay, park behind me and wait for a few minutes. He's just gone down that hole but I bet he'll come up again." She did, he did, we were both thrilled.
Look at all that loose skin around the badger's neck and shoulders, making it very difficult for any larger predator to get a grip. Then the powerful muscles beneath, those strong jaws and formidable teeth, the long claws (not visible here), and its notoriously ferocious nature. The result is one tough little critter ideally suited to its habitat.
More to come...
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2024 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
Tags: American Badger Taxidea taxus wildlife animal mammal yawning teeth predator digger wild prairie nature Grasslands National Park Saskatchewan Canada copyrighted James R. Page 2024
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Ty the greyhound, Part II. This photo should answer the question, "How is Ty doing?" (See yesterday's post for the back story.)
The first hopeful sign, according to Judith, was when he seemed to realize that she is his human.
He now responds to voices and faces. He is sweet, gentle, and loves attention. Oh, and he can still run like the wind.
Unfortunately he can't be allowed to run free on the prairie, as he could easily chase down any rabbit or hare, and after years of racing in futile pursuit of those mechanical rabbits on greyhound tracks in Australia, he would be thrilled to finally catch one.
His running, therefore, is limited to a fenced enclosure. It's pretty cool to see.
The best part, though - as if it weren't obvious from the photo - is that he gets to be unconditionally loved every day for the rest of his life.
Photographed in Val Marie, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2024 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
Tags: dog greyhound human bond love caring safety bliss sweet beautiful rescued animal mammal canine pet Val Marie Saskatchewan Canada copyrighted James R. Page 2024
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Meet Ty - short for "Tyger" - a retired racing champion (under a different name) from Australia. Famous? He had his own Facebook page! He earned a lot of money for his owners. When his racing career ended he was in demand for stud services, after which his owners shipped him off to Canada. There are not enough adoption homes in Australia for racing dogs that have outlived their usefulness. Ty was no pet - he was a commodity.
He arrived with a broken tail, and after being shunted from handler to handler he was no doubt confused and frightened. Luckily my friend Judith was looking for a greyhound, found him after a long search, and adopted him.
He had not been socialized in the normal sense of the word. He didn't know his name; he didn't know he had a name. He didn't even understand that humans use their voices to communicate. He insisted on sleeping and having his naps in Judith's pickup truck - the place where he felt safest.
Dogs, of course, communicate differently from humans. It can't be said that they "know" their names the way we know ours; rather, they learn to respond to their name being called because they associate it with something that interests or concerns them. It might be something great like supper or a walk, or it could be a scolding for stealing food or chewing up those toilet rolls. Dogs are action-oriented; they live in a world of verbs, not nouns. They understand "doing words", not labels. Ty had a formidable learning curve ahead, one that for most dogs begins in puppyhood.
How is he doing today, more than 15 months after his adoption? Tune in tomorrow to find out!
Photographed in Val Marie, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2024 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
Tags: greyhound dog pet ex-racing champion fast runner racer exploited adopted brindle sleek beautiful couch potato Val Marie Saskatchewan Canada copyrighted James R. Page 2024
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