[ultimate_heading alignment=”left” el_class=”album-description”]Mustelids tend to be versatile, nocturnal animals with a wide dietary preference.  They’re a huge group which includes, but is not limited to skunks, otters, and weasels.  Although only the skunk is well-known for this, they all possess atrocious “scent” glands used for marking territory, courtship, and sometimes defense.  Raccoons and coatimundis, on the other hand, are considered more-closely related to bears.  These creatures have colonized nearly every landscape and region across the planet.  They tend to be rather secretive, but are sometimes quite abundant.  The highlights of this album include badgers and coatis.  One coatimundi troop, in particular, has allowed me to spend untold hours with them.  I watched these quirky raccoon-relatives play, forage, fight, and groom one-another, sometimes from only a few feet away, the coatis being aware of my presence the entire time!  Show respect to our wonderful wild creatures, and you may experience magic beyond your wildest dreams![/ultimate_heading]

Meet the Badgers

On my last day in Yellowstone National Park, I was driving by the site of a well-known badger den just as the morning sun began to flirt with the entrance. Having spent 14 hours watching this den on the previous day, I opted to make one last attempt at badger-watching. Soon after setting up the tripod, mama badger emerged! She assessed the surroundings for danger and her babies were quick to join! They basked in the warmth while occasionally climbing atop one-another for nearly an hour. Mother eventually departed to hunt while the youngsters returned to the depths of their subterranean lair.
Purchase This Print

Badger in the Sunset

Just as the sun is setting behind her, mother badger peers out of her den. On my last day in Yellowstone National Park, I was driving by the site of a well-known badger den just as the morning sun began to flirt with the entrance. Having spent 14 hours watching this den on the previous day, I opted to make one last attempt at badger-watching. Soon after setting up the tripod, mama badger emerged! She assessed the surroundings for danger and her babies were quick to join! They basked in the warmth while occasionally climbing atop one-another for nearly an hour. Mother eventually departed to hunt while the youngsters returned to the depths of their subterranean lair.
Purchase This Print

Baby Badgers

The babies loved to badger their mother, often climbing on top of her. Yellowstone National Park, WY.

Raccoon

Adorned in the finest Zorro mask, this charming trash panda was perched atop the tree trunk when I encountered him/her. The raccoon seemed to be nibbling on something indistinguishable while up there, but soon turned his / her attention to a thorough cleaning (sorry, no salvageable pictures) before descending and disappearing amidst the wetland's cattails. Tucson, AZ.
Purchase This Print

River Otters

River otters living in areas frequented by humans tend to avoid much daytime tomfoolery. Naturally, the tourist destination of Chimney Rock, NC, yields more nocturnal-leaning otters.

Urban Friend

This adorable, young raccoon (as well as the rest of his/her family) would often climb out of this abandoned home's chimney. Photographed in Selinsgrove, PA, USA.
Purchase This Print