to the nursery. Natal dens are usually larger and more complex than diurnal dens. Predation While the American badger is an aggressive animal with few natural enemies, it is still vulnerable to other species in its habitat. Predation on American badger by golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), coyotes (Canis latrans) and bobcats (Lynx rufus) have been reported. Bears (Ursus spp.) and gray wolves (Canis lupus) occasionally kill American badgers, while cougars (Puma concolor), according to a 2019 study, apparently are the main predators of adults, hunting them much more frequently than the other carnivorans, with a documented case where the badger is one of the main prey of a collared cat. American badgers are trapped by humans for their pelts. Their fur is used for shaving and painting brushes. Conservation status In May 2000, the Canadian Species at Risk Act listed both of the subspecies Taxidea taxus jacksoni and T. t. jeffersonii as an endangered species in Canada. The California Department of Fish and Game designated the American badger as a California species of special concern. Notes References Cited sources Badgers Further reading Shefferly, N. 1999. "Taxidea taxus" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 15, 2007 at University of Michigan Museum of Zoology External links Ontario Badgers (information about the American badger and the research of their endangered Ontario population) Steve Jackson's badger page Smithsonian Institution – North American Mammals: Taxidea taxus Badgers Carnivorans of North America Mammals of Canada Mammals of Mexico Mammals of the United States Fauna of the Plains-Midwest (United States) Tool-using mammals Mammals described in 1777 Symbols of Wisconsin Fur trade