Rare wildlife sighting in Mission Viejo

Mission Viejo Animal Services was contacted by a resident who had captured an animal on her front door camera. The resident did not recognize the species and asked MVAS to identify.  Animal Control Officers were amazed to see it was an American badger.  A badger has never been reported in the City of Mission Viejo.  The camera captured the badger at about 1 am and it most likely traveled along the Oso Creek Trail. There have only been two other confirmed sightings of badgers in Orange County since 2014, making this observation very unusual!
 
Badgers are well known for their grumpy attitudes. They are stocky and sturdy—built for defense. Badgers are members of the weasel family and cousin to the skunk. They also emit a musky odor when frightened, however, it is not as offensive as a skunk. American badgers range from British Columbia Canada to Southern Mexico, and are rarely seen in urban areas. They are excellent diggers that live in dens. Badgers feed primarily on burrowing animals. While being grumpy, badgers pose no great threat to humans, however anything with a mouth can bite. If you happen to see a badger, leave it be and report it to MVAS at 949-470-3045.
 
We are so lucky here in Mission Viejo to live close to such amazing wildlife!

Watch the video on the City's Instagram or YouTube channel.