This is a North American Badger, a fierce, solitary, and carnivorous mammal. The scientific name is Taxidae taxus, with Taxus and its derivatives being the Latin words for Badger. Badgers are in the same scientific family (Mustelidae) as weasels, mink, otters, wolverines, and other types of badger from other countries. The North American Badger lives in the central and western United States. Reports claim that these badgers are so fierce, they will fight off a cougar in order to get at the carcass of prey.