Taxidea Taxus, the american badger, is probably the most well known badger to the common person. It has a flat body with short legs and a triangular shaped face. Its body is covered with long hair with shades of black brown white and grey. The face has a very distinctive pattern. It is black with white strips on the cheeks and a long white strip from the back of its head to the nose. All these unique characteristics make it a common site in many Wisconsin homes, that is, as the mascot of the Wisconsin Badgers.