Our Name
Bloom
Quilla
Boone, Crockett and Judy

Common Name
Badger
Porcupine
Raccoon

Genus Species
Taxidea taxus
Erithizon dorsatum
Procyon lotor

Bloom our Badger came to the Park on June 5th, 2006.

Description: The American badger has a flat body with short legs and a triangular face. It has long brown or black fur with white stripes on its cheeks and one stripe running from its nose to the back of its head. It has small ears and long, sharp front claws.

Distribution: American badgers can be found in the grasslands of Interior British Columbia, as well as some areas of Alberta and Saskatchewan; their range also extends down into the United States. These animals are highly endangered, with their current population being unknown. Local researchers are working together to determine how many of these animals remain in the wild.

Diet: Badgers eat small burrowing mammals like ground squirrels, rats, gophers and mice. It digs its prey out of the ground with its strong, sharp claws. Coyotes often will stand by while a badger is burrowing and catch animals that come out of a tunnel trying to escape the badger. The badger also eats snakes, birds and reptiles, and will sometimes bury extra food to eat later.

Behaviour: Dens and burrows are a very important part of the badger's life; it uses them for sleeping, storing food and giving birth. A badger may change dens every day, except when it has babies. When a badger is threatened, it will often back into a burrow and bare its teeth and claws in an attempt to scare off any predators.                                 

Quilla came to us from Alberta, she was born in captivity and is three years old.

Description: Porcupines are rodents. They have black to brownish-yellow fur and strong, short legs.  The most recognizable feature of the porcupine is the quills that cover their body; a porcupine may have as many as 30,000 quills! The quills are modified hairs with barbed tips on the ends.

Distribution: Porcupine can be found in temperate forests across North America. 

Diet: Porcupine are herbivores, meaning they eat only plants.  They prefer to eat the layer of wood beneath the bark of a tree, however they typically will eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.  Porcupine will also chew on shed antlers and other hard materials to help wear down their ever growing teeth.

Behaviour: The porcupine uses its quills for defense but unlike popular belief, cannot shoot its quills. When a predator approaches, the porcupine will turn its back, raise the quills and lash out at the threat with its tail. If the porcupine hits an animal with its quills, the quills become embedded in the animal. If an animal is hit in a vital place it may die. The porcupine is not an aggressive animal; it will only attack if it is threatened.  The porcupine is a solitary animal, although it may den with others in the winter. Porcupines don't hibernate, but may stay in a den such as a hollow log or cave during bad weather. They are excellent climbers and spend much of their time in trees; they are very vocal and have a variety of calls from grunts, to whines to tooth clicking.

Three raccoons make their home at the Park. Boone, Crocket and Judy were found as orphans and brought to the Park; all raccoon were too accustomed to people to be released.

Description: Raccoons have gray to brown fur, a black mask around its eyes with white fur around the mask, and a stripe that runs from its forehead to its nose.  The raccoon's toes are flexible and it is very good at grabbing, pulling things apart and holding things. The raccoon is a  very good climber and can go down a tree backwards or face first!

Distribution: Raccoons live in wooded areas near water. They are very adaptable however, and are able to thrive in suburbs and cities. It usually makes a den in trees, but it  may make its home in an abandoned woodchuck burrow, a cave, barn, sewer, or even a house!

Diet: The raccoon is omnivorous and opportunistic. Common foods include fruits, nuts berries, insects, rodents, frogs, eggs and crayfish. In suburban and urban areas it often forages through trash cans for food. If water is near, the raccoon will sometimes put its food in the water and roll it around. It looks like the raccoon is washing its food, but it is not; the raccoon is able to get a better idea of what they are eating when the food is wet.  Their hands are very sensitive and can feel the difference between many different kinds of food.