Anthropogenic water sources such as tanks and ponds for livestock and troughs for wildlife (guzzlers) have become ubiquitous features of arid landscapes. Many species of wildlife are attracted to guzzlers, but behavior at guzzlers and effects of guzzlers upon wildlife are often poorly understood. I recorded rates of drinking and visitation by American badgers (Taxidea taxus) at guzzlers in the northern Chihuahuan Desert by use of automatic cameras over a 2-year period. Badgers visited guzzlers throughout the year, and visited primarily at night. Badgers averaged 1.87 visits per site-week and drank during only 58% of visits. The rate of visitation and the number of drinking episodes per guzzler per week increased in summer, which, in addition to having higher temperatures, is also mating season for badgers.
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1 March 2016
Badger Behavior at Anthropogenic Water Sources in the Chihuahuan Desert
Robert L. Harrison
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Western North American Naturalist
Vol. 76 • No. 1
March 2016
Vol. 76 • No. 1
March 2016