Badger

Badger

Status

The badger is generally a widespread and often common species. There are pockets within the UK where densities of badgers are particularly high, most notably in the west.

Ecology

Badgers occupy a wide range of habitats including coastal cliffs, urban areas and woodland, although highest densities are reached where there is a great deal of cattle pasture.

Badgers live in social groups with a number of setts within their home range and a range of favoured feeding areas linked by pathways.

In Britain, badger activity varies through the year. During the winter badgers are least active, although they do not actually hibernate. Badger setts are usually excavated in ground that is free draining and where there is scrub in order to provide the sett with shelter.

There are several recognised types of badger sett. Each family group will have a main sett, which is continuously occupied and is usually where breeding occurs. Such setts are vital for the survival of the family group. In addition the family group will have one or more secondary setts in their home range. These setts fall into three recognised categories, annexe, subsidiary, and outlier setts. The different setts receive varying levels of use and maybe temporarily occupied by members of the group or simply function as bolt holes when the animals are disturbed whilst away from the main sett.

Protection Under UK Legislation

Wildlife & Countryside Act, 1981 (as amended) and the 1992 Protection of Badgers Act protects both badgers and their setts from harm or injury.

The Act defines a badger sett as ‘Any structure or place, which displays signs indicating the current use by a badger’ and Natural England takes this definition to include seasonally used setts. The legislation does not directly protect badger habitat or foraging grounds.

Where works are likely to disturb a badger sett, it is necessary to obtain a Natural England licence. Licences cannot be issued retrospectively so application should be made at least one month in advance of the proposed work. Work that disturbs badgers without a licence is illegal. The following activities are considered licensable when carried out within certain distances of sett entrances:

Use of very heavy machinery within 30 metres of any entrance to an active sett, e.g. earth scrapers.
Use of lighter machinery (particularly for any digging operation) within 20 metres, e.g. operation of a JCB.
Light work, such as hand digging, within 10 metres.

ECOSA Survey and Licencing Experience

ECOSA are highly experienced in the identification of badger field signs and locating of setts. ECOSA have successfully obtained a number of Natural England badger licences where a development is likely to impact upon an active badger sett/s.

Survey Timing

Badger surveys can be carried out throughout much of the year. However are perhaps most effective when carried out between March and May when vegetation cover is reduced and setts are readily visible and badger activity is high and field signs are more evident.

Mitigation

Badger mitigation strategies to offset the impact of development can be complex and highly site specific. Mitigation strategies can include the retention of setts within an exclusion zone, erection of fencing to discourage animals from crossing roads, sympathetic landscape planting with a high proportion of species for foraging badgers, or translocation of setts. It is highly favourable to retain significant main and annexe setts on site unless disturbance, increased mortality or the location of the development footprint threatens the integrity of the sett.

Links

Badger Trust

Badgers on the Web

Wildlife & Countryside Act

Disclaimer

Although we have taken great care to ensure that our information and advice is correct, we cannot accept any responsibility for any incorrect information, loss or damage incurred arising from the use of the information published on our web site. For further advice, detailed surveys and quotations please contact ECOSA.

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