North American Badgers (Taxidea taxus) occur throughout the western United States and Great Plains of North America,
Question:
North American Badgers (Taxidea taxus) occur throughout the western United States and Great Plains of North America, with the geographic range extending east to central Ohio (Messick, 1987; Whitaker and Hamilton, 1998). In Michigan, badgers have been verified in all counties, including those in the Upper Peninsula (Baker, 1983). However, badger presence had not been confirmed in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (PRNL), located in Alger County, north-central Upper Peninsula, Michigan.
On 16 September 2004, a badger was captured adjacent to PNRL (Iat 46032'N, long 86019'W), incidentally in a cage trap (Model 108, Tomahawk Live Trap Company, Tomahawk, WI), during a study of American Marten.
The badger was immobilized using an intramuscular injection of Telazol® (Fort Dodge Animal Health, Fort Dodge, IA) with basic physiology monitored as described by Belant (2004). The badger received a radio transmitter (Advanced Telemetry Systems, Isanti, MN); standard body metrics were taken. A tooth was not extracted for aging; however, measurements including body length 25 inches (64 cm), total length 30 inches (76 cm), skull length 4.7 inches (12.0 cm), skull width 3.5 inches (9.0 cm), and estimated weight 13 pounds (6 kgs) suggested that this individual was probably a yearling (Long, 1973; Baker, 1983; Messick, 1987). Teeth were not damaged and evidence of staining was not observed. Nipple size (2< mm length or Width) and coloration suggested this badger had not produced young.
Six radio telemetry locations were obtained through September 2004 (Fig. 2). The badger occupied an area within and adjacent to PRNL’s Inland Buffer Zone, 1.9-2.5 miles (3-4 km) southeast of Beaver lake. Mean daily movements were 1.1 + 0.6 miles (1.7 +1.0 km) (SD). Little comparative data is available; however, badgers have reportedly traveled up to 8.8 miles (14 km) in 4 hrs (Hoodicoff, 2002). Female and male badgers have dispersed up to 40 and 73.8 miles (64 and 118 km), respectively (Messick, 1987).
Although this is the first verified record of a North American Badger at PRNL, badgers have probably occupied areas within PRNL previously. Badgers have been reported in Alger County south of PRNL on the adjacent Hiawatha National Forest (K. Doran, Hiawatha National Forest, personal communication). Additional surveys to document badger distribution and abundance within PRNL and adjacent areas are warranted.
1) What is the purpose of this short communication (SC)? Who is the audience?
2) What stylistic features (manner or characteristics as a whole) indicate that this is a piece of academic writing?
3) One typical feature of many field SCs, including this one, is that the authors discuss their findings cautiously. For example, on only two occasions do the authors make a claim about their discovery.
One occurs at the end of Paragraph 1 where the authors write ... badger presence had not been confirmed in .... What is the other one?
4) What is your reaction to the title? Does it seem appropriate for the text? Can you think of any way to improve it?
5) Do you think the conclusion is reasonable based on the information provided? Why or why not?
Horngrens Accounting
ISBN: 978-0133855388
10th Canadian edition Volume 2
Authors: Tracie L. Miller Nobles, Brenda L. Mattison, Ella Mae Matsumura, Carol A. Meissner, Jo Ann L. Johnston, Peter R. Norwood