We are so familiar with most of the animals at Placerita Canyon that we acknowledge them with a simple nod of recognition as they pass along: ground squirrels, hawks, woodpeckers, scrub jays. We get excited and the cameras come out when a coyote or bobcat is spotted. Those sightings are written on the bulletin board next to the entrance of the office building, and people ask questions about the time it was seen and in what area of the park.

Most fascinating are the results from the infrared camera we have hidden in the park. The first photo taken of a mountain lion was a milestone. We all pore over the photos with great pride and excitement, examining the details even from a quick silhouette caught at night.

We know all of those animals are there in Placerita Canyon State Park, so we know our paths will cross. It is a matter of timing, luck, patience and observing – often, at different times of the day and during different seasons – and if all of the elements fall in the right place, then one is so happy when it happens.

But sometimes you are very surprised indeed – and this was one of those times.

Surely I had misheard: There is a badger in the picnic area, just next to the Nature Center?

That was news we were not prepared to hear. There are a few different reasons for that. The picnic area is one of the most utilized areas of the park; many people visit, and it is close to the parking lot – so why would a badger be there?

Although it is a busy area for humans, it’s also an area with a large population of ground squirrels, so an easy lunch for the badger might have been the answer because they feed on rodents.

We were also surprised because the badger is listed in California as species of special concern due to the reduction of their habitat, which means there are not many of them around to start with.

Their habitat is usually treeless regions: prairies, parkland and cold desert areas. Placerita is not exactly prime choice badger residential area, by those standards, but there is a flat, grassy area next to the picnic ground, so that might have been enough. They like open grassland with sandy soil where they can dig easily to catch their prey, and also riparian habitat – so that was another positive hint because the stream is close by.

Another reason it was highly improbable to see a badger is that they are nocturnal. They prefer to hunt at night, and this one was strolling about in the broad morning light. What about that for an unexpected photo opportunity?

We kept our distance, but here we were, taking its picture, and I can tell you, this badger did not like that one bit.

The badger is an aggressive animal and has few natural enemies. The predators of the smaller individuals are golden eagles, coyotes, mountain lions and large bobcats. That will happen only if the badger is sick or small. That was not the case with the beautiful specimen we were looking at, and which was hissing, screeching at us and making all kinds of ferocious vocalizations that had us stepping back quickly. They can also release a musky smell similar to the skunk to protect themselves.

The badger at Placerita, July 22, 2008.

We noticed with some alarm the very strong and sharp 2-inch claws used to dig the burrow and attack any intruders. They eat rodents, snakes, birds and reptiles. They dig their prey out of their den and sometimes plug the entrance of the tunnel with objects. Their toes are partially webbed, and their back feet have shovel-like claws.

What surprised me while looking was its level of aggression and its body shape: The body looks flat and wide, and the skin is loose, especially across the chest, shoulders and back.

This animal was not at all pleased to be observed, and the message was loud and clear. We did not insist and backed off promptly. The badger stayed around the Nature Center for a few days but took off when it realized all of those juicy ground squirrels were not worth the number of visitors in the area. We never saw it again.

Contrary to some stories told around the campfire, badgers and coyotes do not hunt together. Coyotes sometimes observe the badger digging and hunting, taking advantage by catching prey that escapes the badger. Coyotes are not good at digging, but they are great opportunists that take advantage of the situation and get a quick meal.

Badgers can also eat plants such as corn, peas and green beans. They dig burrows, and farmers do not enjoy them in their fields.

They are from the family of the mustelidae, the same family that includes the weasel, otter, ferret and wolverine.

Males are about 30 inches long and weigh up to 19 pounds. They are covered with a coat of hair of mixed colors – brown, black and white – which provides great camouflage. The triangular head has distinctive black and white patterns with a black “badge” (hence the name “badger”) on the cheek and a white stripe running from the nose to the top of the head. They have a short tail. The snout is slightly upturned and the eyes are small. They have nictating membranes, which is a great adaptation for an animal that is digging underground so much. That is a translucent third eyelid that protects the eye but allows the animal to see.

Females can breed when they are 1 year old, males when they are 2. The breeding season lasts from the end of summer until the fall, but they have delayed implantation of the fetus, so the pregnancy starts only in December. The three young are usually born in early April and are born altricial, which means the mother must tend to their every need and nurse them until they are 2 to 3 months old. At 6 weeks they come out of the den but stay with their mother until July.

In the wild, the life expectancy of a badger is 9 to 10 years, but in captivity they have lived as long as 26 years.

Are there more badgers in the park that we do not know about? Why would there be only one? Since they are nocturnal, the chance of encountering another one is fairly remote.

So here we are, dreaming at night of a population of badgers hunting in the park and enjoying the privacy they are so determined to protect. Sweet dreams.

Evelyne Vandersande has been a docent at the Placerita Canyon Nature Center for 28 years. She lives in Newhall.