Meet the Zoo’s New Badger, Tink

Tink the badger

The Milwaukee County Zoo recently received a female badger named Tink from Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo. She hails from Emporia, Kansas where police originally found her. It is believed that she is 10 years old and has a possible vision problem with her left eye.

Badgers are found primarily in the Great Plains region of North America. They are solitary animals that are mostly active in the evenings, and tend to be inactive during the winter months.

These animals are excellent digging machines with powerful forelimbs that allow them to tunnel through a variety of substances. The badger was designated the official state animal of Wisconsin in 1957. Wisconsin's nickname is "The Badger State" because miners dug tunnels into hillsides searching for lead in the 1800s, reminding people of badgers. The badger is the official state animal of Wisconsin, and it is illegal to hunt them in this state.

Tink can be found in the Badger Exhibit at the Zoo located next to the Brown Bear Exhibit.