Last week I saw a North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) next to and inside a burrow. In open areas (including grasslands) porcupines use and modify existing burrows made by other animals. I thought I would return with my camera a week later. However, there were only some quills and bones next to the burrow; the porcupine probably died at some point last week. A few hours later, just before dark, I noticed an American badger (Taxidea taxus). The animal was digging out a burrow of its own a few hundred meters from where the porcupine was eaten. My suspicion is that the badger killed and ate the porcupine, similar to Eurasian badgers and hedgehogs in Europe; badgers have powerful claws and can unroll hedgehogs and eat them starting at the belly...

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Image below: Porcupine burrow.

Burrow occupied by a North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), Montana, USABurrow occupied by a North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), Montana, USA

Image below: Porcupine quills and bones (probably predated by the badger)

Porcupine leftovers, Montana, USAPorcupine leftovers, Montana, USA. I suspect that this particular porcupine was eaten by a badger that had a den nearby.

The nearby badger den with a badger footprint in the dirt.

American badger (Taxidea taxus) burrow, Montana, USAAmerican badger (Taxidea taxus) burrow, Montana, USA

Rocky Mountain wildlife: Black bear (Ursus americanus), Wyoming, USA.

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Black bear (Ursus americanus), Wyoming, USABlack bear (Ursus americanus), Wyoming, USA

Black bear (Ursus americanus), Wyoming, USABlack bear (Ursus americanus), Wyoming, USA

Mongolia: Gers at the Oyu Tolgoy mine site, Mongolia.

This is where guests and some of the employees of the Oyu Tolgoi mine stay. The gers (or yurts) are very comfortable despite the bitter cold (-20 C or lower). Each ger is connected to a square building in between the gers. These square buildings contain private bathrooms. Most of the workers of the mine do not stay in these gers; they stay in barracks.

Click here for images of mining and roads in the Gobi. Click here for images of the Takhi or Przewalski's horse. Click here for images of cinereous vultures. Click here for images of Siberian ibex. Click here for images of argali. Click here for images of Mongolian gazelles. Click here for wolf images. Click here for other images from Mongolia.

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Gers at the Oyu Tolgoy mine site, MongoliaGers at the Oyu Tolgoy mine site, Mongolia

Inside a ger at the Oyu Tolgoy mine site, MongoliaInside a ger at the Oyu Tolgoy mine site, Mongolia

Road ecology blog: Coal trucks hauling coal to the border and dust, between Tsagaan khad (White Rock) and Gashuun-Sukhait, Gobi, Mongolia. The trucks generate a lot of dust as they drive on gravel roads or off road through the Gobi. Most trucks avoid the parallel paved toll-road to avoid the toll and because they tend to be overloaded (there are weigh stations along the toll road). Part of the coal route bisects the Small Gobi B strictly protected area, just north of the border with China.

Click here for images of mining and roads in the Gobi. Click here for images of the Takhi or Przewalski's horse. Click here for images of cinereous vultures. Click here for images of Siberian ibex. Click here for images of argali. Click here for images of Mongolian gazelles. Click here for wolf images. Click here for other images from Mongolia.

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Coal trucks hauling coal to the border and dust, between Tsagaan khad (White Rock) and Gashuun-Sukhait, Gobi, MongoliaCoal trucks hauling coal to the border and dust, between Tsagaan khad (White Rock) and Gashuun-Sukhait, Gobi, Mongolia

Coal trucks hauling coal to the border and dust, between Tsagaan khad (White Rock) and Gashuun-Sukhait, Gobi, MongoliaCoal trucks hauling coal to the border and dust, between Tsagaan khad (White Rock) and Gashuun-Sukhait, Gobi, Mongolia

Road ecology blog: Domesticated Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) crossing the road, Gobi, Mongolia.

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Domesticated Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) crossing the road, Gobi, MongoliaDomesticated Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) crossing the road, Gobi, Mongolia

Mongolia: Nomadic herder on motorcycle with Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus), Gobi.

Click here for images of mining and roads in the Gobi. Click here for images of the Takhi or Przewalski's horse. Click here for images of cinereous vultures. Click here for images of Siberian ibex. Click here for images of argali. Click here for images of Mongolian gazelles. Click here for wolf images. Click here for other images from Mongolia.

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Nomadic herder on motorcycle with Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus), Gobi, MongoliaNomadic herder on motorcycle with Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus), Gobi, Mongolia

Rocky Mountain wildlife: Urban elk (Cervus canadensis) on lawn, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA.

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Urban elk on lawn, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USAUrban elk on lawn, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

Montana wildlife: Mule deer buck (Odocoileus hemionus), Montana, USA.

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Mule deer buck (Odocoileus hemionus), Montana, USAMule deer buck (Odocoileus hemionus), Montana, USA

Montana landscapes: Fall colors along Rattlesnake Creek, Rattlesnake Wilderness, Montana, USA.

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Fall colors along Rattlesnake Creek, Rattlesnake Wilderness, Montana, USAFall colors along Rattlesnake Creek, Rattlesnake Wilderness, Montana, USA

Montana landscapes: Western larch (Larix occidentalis) turning color in the fall, Rattlesnake Wilderness, Montana, USA.

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Western larch (Larix occidentalis) turning color in the fall, Rattlesnake Wilderness, Montana, USAWestern larch (Larix occidentalis) turning color in the fall, Rattlesnake Wilderness, Montana, USA Western larch (Larix occidentalis) turning color in the fall, Rattlesnake Wilderness, Montana, USAWestern larch (Larix occidentalis) turning color in the fall, Rattlesnake Wilderness, Montana, USA

Montana wildlife: Mule deer buck (Odocoileus hemionus) on ridge, Montana, USA.

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Mule deer buck (Odocoileus hemionus), Montana, USAMule deer buck (Odocoileus hemionus), Montana, USA

Road ecology blog: Black bear (Ursus americanus) next to road, Wyoming, USA.

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Black bear (Ursus americanus) next to road, Wyoming, USABlack bear (Ursus americanus) next to road, Wyoming, USA

Montana wildlife: Mule deer buck (Odocoileus hemionus), Montana, USA.

For other mule deer images click here.

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Mule deer buck (Odocoileus hemionus), Montana, USAMule deer buck (Odocoileus hemionus), Montana, USA