Description
Badgers are easily identifiable by their low slung bodies,
relatively small eyes and ears and their characteristic black and
white striped faces. Also noticeable are long front claws, which
provide the badger with an excellent digging ability as well as an
effective self-defence weapon. The only species living wild in the
United Kingdom is the European Badger, which can measure up to 31"
in length.
Biology and Habitat
A badger spends most of its day asleep underground in a maze of
tunnels called a sett. Badgers are social animals and one social
grouping will occupy a single sett. Although badgers can mate in
any month of the year, only one litter is born in the spring, due
to the unusual phenomenon of delayed implantation of the fertilised
egg. A sow badger can potentially give birth to litter of five
cubs, although the average number is normally two.
In close proximity to the sett will be a latrine where the
badgers leave the dung and urine. Latrines are also sited as
markers on boundaries of social groups’ feeding territories, which
may include various types of areas such as pasture, arable fields,
gardens, etc. Latrines can extend for several square metres and as
well as posing a threat of disease transmission, are a common
source of annoyance to homeowners.
It is commonly perceived that a badger is a nocturnal creature,
however, their activity is dictated by that of their main food
sources. These include earthworms, beetles, or a generous homeowner
who will leave food scraps in the garden. It is quite usual to
observe badgers wandering above ground in late afternoon/early
evening. However, their eyes are not suited to bright sunshine and
their heavy coats are not appropriate for warm, daylight
hours.
Importance
Certain people find badgers fascinating creatures and will freely
feed them. However, they do have a nuisance value. Subsidence to
driveways, carefully tailored lawns and structural damage to
foundations are as a result of the badgers’ excellent digging
ability. They have also been known to ravage agricultural crops and
allotments in the search of an alternative source of food.
Control
It is illegal to use creosote or any other form of chemical
preparation to deter badgers from entering property. A number of
options are, however, open which either singularly or together may
achieve this objective.
Try to isolate the food source to which the badgers are
attracted, e.g., use a garden pesticide to remove the preferred
diet of earthworms and beetles. Deter them from digging up gardens
by laying fine wire mesh over the lawn. The installation of an
electric fence could protect the whole garden. If such a fence is
fitted it should comprise two strands of wire, the lower strand
should be hung approximately 8cm from the ground, with the second
strand approximately 10cm above this. It need only be switched on
at night but it is important to ensure that high voltage is
maintained and that the vegetation under the fence is kept cropped
short to prevent earthing of the current. Alternatively you may
prefer to employ proprietary badger fencing which comprises welded
mesh supported by timber posts.
Legislation
Under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 it is a criminal offence
to wilfully kill, injure, take, cruelly ill treat or offer for sale
a live badger. It is also an offence to damage a badger sett or any
part of it; to destroy a badger sett; to obstruct access to, or any
entrance of, a badger sett; to cause a dog to enter a badger sett
or disturb a badger when it is occupying a badger sett.
Further Information
For more specific information to that detailed above
contact:
The Avon Badger Group
c/o RSPCA
78 Gloucester Road
Bristol
BS7 8BN
Telephone 07776 090816
or
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
Burghill Road
Westbury on Trym
Bristol
BS10 6YW
Telephone 0845 6014523 (local rate)
