Graphic of a question mark Questions and Answers


Below are answers to some of the questions we receive from visitors to this site and from the general public at our events, eg. fetes and talks etc.

If you have any questions about badgers then please click on I have a Question
and then complete the question form in the question form page. Your query will be answered as soon as possible and will appear in the Index list below (near the end). To view the answer click on the hyperlink in the list. Please note that although we will try to answer questions as best we can, answers are given in good faith and may be based on our own experiences, opinions and beliefs, and accuracy of any answer is not claimed or guaranteed.

Q & A INDEX...

Back to Home Page

[01] Question from Event: Are badgers aggressive animals
[02] Question from John: Do badgers only come out in the dark
[03] Question from E.Jones: How long do they live
[04] Question from Event: What do badgers eat
[05] Question from the 'Surfer': Why do you protect badgers
[06] Question from Steve: When are badger cubs born
[07] Question from Martin: Do you get paid for your work
[08] Question from Event: Why on earth do people bait badgers - what can...
[09] Question from Anon: I am thinking about joining your group but...
[10] Question from Event: How many badgers are there in the UK
[11] Question from 'Gee': Not a question as such, but keep up the good work
[12] Question from Jim: I once saw what I thought was a brown badger (I wasn't drunk)
[13] Question from Yvonne: I think I have a badger coming into my garden but...
[14] Question from Tony: How many entrances do setts have
[15] Question from Andrew Roed: What do Badger footprints look like?
[16] Question from Mary Ann: Other than humans who are the badger's
[17] Question from Ross Woodward: Where in California do badgers live
[18] Question from Vivien Ackland-Snow: Can you provide a picture and info on...
[19] Question from Becky: What family group are badgers in, what animals are they...
[20] Question from Luke Gavin: How many different species of badgers are there
[21] Question from Rowena & Andrew Lane: Can you put me in touch with groups in...
[22] Question from Jan: Which techniques are used to provide info on badger territory...
[23] Question from Jill: How fast do badgers run
[24] Question from Andy Huggins: Did you hear about that badger at Buredrop
[25] Question from James Klaiber: What is a group of badgers called? For example..
[26] Question from Juily: How do badgers obtain foods
[27] Question from (No ID): How about making the Q&A a full discussion forum
[28] Question from Amanda: How do badgers protect themselves against factors...
[29] Question from Michelle: How do badgers protect themselves from other animals
[30] Question from (No ID): I would like to know about where badgers live...
[31] Question from (No ID): How do badgers defend themselves if they are...
[32] Question from Jo: I've heard there is going to be a Badger cull soon...
[33] Question from 'Queen Badger': Do you have a badger adoption/sponsorship...
[34] Question from Brett Berry: How do badgers use air
[35] Question from Ell: Who would win in a fight, a fox or a badger
[36] Question from Thom: Who would win in a fight between a regular badger and...
[37] Question from Austin: I have heard that in Canada, problem beavers are...
[38] Question from Rodger: Would badgers eat lettuce if I...
[39] Question from Oliver: Do you enjoy working with badgers
[40] Question from Ruprecht: What time of the year do badgers mate
[41] Question from Trevor: Do badgers have a problem, in the wild, with nails
[42] Question from Theo: My son wants a tortoise as a pet and I am concerned...
[43] Question from Luis Delgado: Can badgers make good pets...
[44] Question from Tom Brown: A co-worker was going on about badgers and...
[45] Question from Nicholas: Do Badgers eat smaller animals such as...
[46] Question from Benedict: Do badgers talk to each other...
[47] Question from Maverick: I saw a farmer run over a Badger...
[48] Question from Alan Bloomfield: I have heard that badgers smell very...
[49] Question from Steven Judd: Have there been any cases where a badger...
[50] Question from Todd: What is the life-span of a badger...
[51] Question from Jennifer F: Are there any badgers in France
[52] Question from Emily: What is a Badgers Habitat
[53] Question from James: What do badgers eat
[54] Question from Ryan: Has a badger ever seriously hurt a human
[55] Question from Ian Stewart: Is the North American Badger nocturnal
[56] Question from Cartman: As far as I understand, badgers are a protected...
[57] Question from Eddie: I watched with interest the documentary on... (TB culling)
[58] Question from Anis: How to badgers adapt to where they live
[59] Question from Hayley Brown: How long have badgers been around
[60] Question from Seth: Last summer I worked in a vets for work experience...
[61] Question from George: I was wondering if badgers could breed like rabbits...
[62] Question from Richard: Where is the best place to see badgers in...
[63] Question from Dustin: When do badgers start having young...
[64] Question from [No ID]: Do Badgers like Jam


Back to Home Page

Top of Page

















[01]
Question from event: Are badgers aggressive animals?

  • Answer: In our opinion no. We handle many badgers after rescuing them and haven't come across a nasty one yet. However, like any animal they become aggressive if injured or trapped etc. Don't go handling badgers yourself though - our members are experienced in this.
    Back to Index


    [02]
    Question from John: Is it true that badgers only come out in the dark?

  • Answer: No John, in the summer we often take groups of people to watch badgers as early as 7.30pm, when it gets dark at about 10ish.
    Back to Index


    [03]
    Question from E.Jones: How long do badgers live?

  • Answer: A males' (boar) natural life expectancy is around 15 years, while a females' (sow) is around 10. However, it is our experience that very few reach their natural expectancy as many are killed on roads and baited etc.
    Back to Index


    [04]
    Question from event: What do badgers eat?

  • Answer: Their main diet consists of earthworms, but also they will eat small mammals and berries etc. However, badgers in Neath and Port Talbot seem to eat anything! We have fed badgers on foods ranging from jam sandwitches to spaghetti. This is why urban badgers tip up bins in gardens.
    Back to Index


    [05]
    Question from 'the surfer': Why do you protect badgers?

  • Answer: Mainly to try and compensate for the pressures they are facing from man, eg. loss of habitat through development, snaring, road deaths and baiting etc. The losses and cruelty they receive are alarming.
    Back to Index


    [06]
    Question from Steve: When are badger cubs born?

  • Answer: Usually anytime from January to March Steve, although there are exceptions.
    Back to Index


    [07]
    Question from Martin: Do you get paid for your work?

  • Answer: In a nutshell Martin - no. All our members work on a voluntary basis.
    Back to Index


    [08]
    Question from event: Why on earth do people bait badgers - what can they possibly get out of it?

  • Answer: We really wish we knew, perhaps if any baiter reads this they could send us a clue.
    Back to Index


    [09]
    Question from anon: I am thinking about joining your group but I haven't any experience whatsoever in conservation work. Would I need training. Also, how much work is involved in your activities?

  • Answer: If you wish to become involved in 'field' work, eg. monitoring and surveying setts and rehabiliation etc, then we would offer practical training, which is very informal (there are no tests or anything like that). If you are more interested in the admin side of our work etc then this involves fund raising, letter writing and giving talks etc. Basically, we leave it to members in what and how much they want to do.
    Back to Index


    [10]
    Question from event: How many badgers are there in the UK.

  • Answer: The total population is around 250,000 (estimated) which isn't a lot really if you consider an estimated 45,000 are killed on roads alone each year.
    Back to Index


    [11]
    Question from 'gee': Not a question as such, but keep up the good work.

  • Answer: Thanks gee (gee thanks!), we do our best.
    Back to Index


    [12]
    Question from Jim: I once saw what I thought was a brown badger (I wasn't drunk)

  • Answer: You weren't seeing things Jim, brown (tannish), all black and all white badgers exist here in the UK, as elsewhere.
    Back to Index


    [13]
    Question from Yvonne: I think I have a badger coming into my garden but have never seen it, how can I tell for sure?

  • Answer: The best way Yvonne is to wait up and try to catch a glimpse of it through an appropriate window, but not outside as it will sense your presence and be scared away. The badger may come very late though.
    Back to Index


    [14]
    Question from Tony: How many entrances do setts have?

  • Answer: It varies greatly Tony, but on average I'de say about 8ish.
    Back to Index

    Pawprint Image


    [15]
    Question from Andrew Roed 17/05/98: What do Badger footprints look like?

  • Answer: The front paw looks something like this Andrew, but the hind paws are a little smaller and in my experience a little less well-defined.
    Back to Index


    [16]
    Question from Mary Ann 19/05/98: Other than humans who are the badger's natural enemies?

  • Answer: They haven't really any others now Mary, although dogs often present problems. In previous centuries larger carnivores, eg. bears and wolves, would have been natural enemies in Britain, but were hunted to extinction. Although it might be expected that this would be a good thing for badger populations, human impact on badgers poses a far greater threat, ie. roads, loss of habitat, baiting, snaring, pollution, and so on.... Don't despair though, we're working on the problems.
    Back to Index


    [17]
    Question from Ross Woodward 19/05/98: Where in California do badgers live? are there any on the North Coast?

  • Answer: Thanks for the question Ross. Unfortunately I do not know a lot about the American Badger (Taxidea taxus) as we deal with the European, being based in the UK. Can I suggest you visit Steve Jacksons' Brock Watch Master Index at Geocities which has info on the American Badger. Hope this is of some help.
    Back to Index


    [18]
    Question from Vivien Ackland-Snow 30/05/98: Can you provide a picture and information on the Honey Badger, and can I see a honey badger in England.

  • Answer: Thanks for the question Vivien. Unfortunately I do not know where you would find a honey badger (mellivora capensis) in England as I believe they are native to Africa, the Middle East and India. I have never come across one in a zoo either (thank goodness). In respect of appearance they are around the same size and weight as our UK badger. The real difference lies in the colouration. The honey badger has a white/grey upper body and dark flanks and underbody, whereas our badgers are grey/black all over and with a pronounced black and white-striped face. For a picture of the honey badger, and much more info, visit Steve Jacksons' Master Index badger page. When you arrive scroll down to Section 2 (About Badgers) where you will find honey badger info links, there are 2 of them. Hope I have been of some help.
    Back to Index


    [19]
    Question from Becky 21/7/98: What family group are badgers in, what animals are they related to?

  • Answer: Hi Becky, thanks for your question. There are actually eight species of badger worldwide, but the one we all now of here in the UK is the Eurasian badger - Meles meles. Although once paralled with the pig or bear (up to the eighteenth century its latin name was actually Ursus meles - 'the bear badger'), it has since been identified as being a member of the mustelid group, with its closest relatives being members of the martin family, like the pine martin, weasel and wolverine. The early reference though has remained in the gender names of adults, ie. male (boar) and female (sow). I hope this is of some help. (Sources: [i] Gillson, L. 'Care for the Wild' [ii] Mathiasson, S. & Dalhov, G. 'Wildlife in Great Britain and Europe').
    Back to Index


    [20]
    Question from Luke Gavin 18/8/98: How many different species of badgers are there?

  • Answer: Hi Luke, thanks for your question. The previous questioner asked a similar question to yours, which is answered above. Please get in touch if you need any further info though.
    Back to Index


    [21]
    Question from Rowena & Andrew Lane 17/8/98: Can you put me in touch with local badger groups in Wiltshire.

  • Answer: Hi Rowena & Andrew, thanks for your questions. Yes, I would be very glad to put you in touch with the Wiltshire Group, and answer your questions on the TB issue at the same time. Can you let me have your email address though (I don't receive them with form submissions) so I can send you the info. Please contact me at The Badger Group
    Back to Index


    [22]
    Question from Jan, 25/8/98: Which techniques are generally used to provide information about a badger's territory?

  • Answer: Hi Jan, thanks for your question. One of the most effective methods of determining the territory of a badger social group (all those of a sett) is 'bait-marking'. Badgers mark their territory boundaries with their 'dung' which is left in small dug-out holes called 'dung-pits' or 'latrines', and bait-marking utilises this. In the evening food is left at the sett which is laced with small, non-toxic, plastic beads. A search is then performed the following day around the wide sett area for dung-pits containing the beads. Each find is recorded and mapped. This technique is repeated for several, or more, days/nights. Finally, a picture emerges of the entire territory boundary. The work is very time-consuming though. Different colour beads can be used to find the boundaries of a number of sett territories in one go, particularly when boundaries overlap slightly. To be on the safe side of the law though it is always wise to seek a license from an appropriate Conservancy Council before interfering with badgers.
    Back to Index


    [23]
    Question from Jill, 4/9/98: How fast do badgers run?

  • Answer: Hi Jill, thanks for your question. Unfortunately I have not been able to find any info on the exact speed, ie. in miles etc. My own experience though is that they are fairly fast. I once released a badger, I had looked after, back to a spot where it had been found injured. I didn't know where its sett was so I decided to chase it as soon as it was released from its carrying cage. I don't know whether it was me that was slow or the badger was very fast, but it outpaced me in a very short distance. I would say that its speed compared to that of a dog of similar size. Although I had already been working with badgers for a good while by that time, I thought they were slow ambling creatures, the way it ran though soon changed my opinion. Since then, I once witnessed two alsation dogs chasing a badger back to its sett, and the distance between the badger and the dogs remained constant, with no ground being won. Hope this is of some help.
    Back to Index


    [24]
    Question from Andy Huggins, 17/9/98: Did you hear about that badger at Buredrop?

  • Answer: Hi Andy, thanks for your question. No, I haven't heard about that particular badger, please could you Email Me to let me know of the details - thanks.
    Back to Index


    [25]
    Question from james klaiber, 16/9/98: What is a group of badgers called? For example, a group or family of lions is a 'pride'?

  • Answer: Hi James, thanks for your question. Badgers of the same sett/territory are said to be of the same 'social group'. A popular term used for such a group is 'clan', ie. a clan of badgers. The word itself (looking at my dictionary) means 'a group of people with a common ancestor'; 'a party' or 'clique'. So its adoption is most likely based on the meaning of the word itself. Hope this is of some help.
    Back to Index


    [26]
    Question from Juily, 18/9/98: How do badgers obtain foods?

  • Answer: Hi Juily, thanks for your question. The badger is a true carnivore but has developed omnivore habits. A badger's main diet is earthworms and they obtain these by either digging for them in 'earth' or by just scooping them up with their mouths while the worms lie on the surface, ie. in meadow and pasture (particularly when it is wet). They do eat other foods including grubs, berries, bulbs and fruits, they may for example utilise blackberries and fallen apples. To obtain grubs they will search beneath the bark of dead trees and open up rotten fallen trees. Badgers can also climb trees, to a degree, and have been known to exploit foods in that area also, but have not experienced this myself. They will also eat small mammals, carrion and honey. To obtain honey they will rip open bee hives at night when the bees are 'sleepy' and so do not get stung. Badgers of an urban nature will take food from gardens, either left out specifically by residents or from the garden itself, ie. worms from lawns etc. They will also utilise foods left in refuse bins, from which they will eat all manners of food, from chinese to indian. Badgers eat foodstuffs where they are found, and do not take it back to their setts to eat, unlike the fox who will take it back to their 'den'. Hope this answers your question ok.
    Back to Index


    [27]
    Question from (No ID), 18/9/98: How about making the Q&A a full discussion forum?

  • Answer: I am considering creating a discussion forum, but meanwhile if you wish to participate there is already a Chat Site run by Steve Jackson which is just getting off the ground. See you there.....
    Back to Index


    [28]
    Question from Amanda, 18/9/98: How do badgers protect themselves against physical factors such dryness,wind,snow,heat,or light?

  • Answer: Hi Amanda, thanks for the question. In times of drought earthworms may be scarce to badgers, as they are too deep to find. They will then utilise other foodstuffs more than usual. The droppings from one local badger colony during a very dry summer a few years ago was made up soley of remains of blackberries. Regarding water, badgers don't seem to have much problem, at least the badgers local to us. They will find water in farm troughs, gardens and little hollows in trees etc. There is also water content in the foods that they eat. They can however succumb to dehydration very quickly. I have never seen a badger shelter from wind, but in my experience if it is very windy they may be cautious in leaving the sett due to the noise of rustling trees etc. Badger cubs that have newly emerged are very wary of such noise, and will rush back into the sett when it frightens them. Badgers don't seem to be bothered by snow. I once tracked badger prints in snow to find their sett. Heat is not normally a problem as they don't venture out of the sett much during the hot hours of the day. I did once come across a badger 'nest' near a secluded sett. It was made of grass and looked like a giant bird's nest. It is believed that badgers do 'sunbathe' in this fashion, but I have never actually seen one. Light doesn't seem a problem to them either, as they do emerge at light evening (useful for videoing them). They also visit gardens which have security lighting. They will be a litte wary at first when the light comes on, but after a while they ignore it. I once filmed badgers in a garden with two 1000 watt lamps, when I turned them on the badgers just carried on eating. I do wish though that they would be more wary of car headlights.
    Back to Index


    [29]
    Question from Michelle, 18/9/98: How do badgers protect themselves from other animals?

  • Answer: Hi Michelle, thanks for your question. The only real threat to badgers here in the UK is man and dog, both of which they will run away from given the chance. When trapped in a sett by baiters though they will fight fiercely, hence the attraction to baiters who 'pride' themselves on having a dog who can overcome a badger, although several dogs and one badger may be involved. In fights they will usually bite with their powerful jaws and canine teeth, which can inflict serious injuries to attacking dogs, love of dogs and baiting therefore cannot go hand-in-hand. Badgers have very large claws but don't seem to use these for attack or defence. Badgers do of course have territorial and dominance fights, which can result in both badgers receiving bad injuries. Hope this answers you question ok.
    Back to Index


    [30]
    Question from (No ID), 6/1/99: I would like to know about where badgers live. Also, what a badger hole looks like and what's inside.

  • Answer: Badgers live in underground chambers called 'setts', these can be found in all sorts of places, but most commonly in sloping broad-leafed woodland. A sett entrance (visit the gallery page for a pic) is normally oval-shaped, with the width being around 18 inches and the height around 12 inches - worn down this way due to the 'shape' of the badger (a fox hole is typically the reverse). The inside of a sett is a complex web of narrow tunnelways. Within this structure there are small 'nesting chambers' where the badgers sleep etc. If you watch badgers in the spring and summer months you may see them gathering grass and leaves etc for bedding, which they will drag into the nesting chamber - old bedding is first dragged out and discarded at the sett entrance. It is usually the nesting chambers that baiters dig into during the day, often sending their dogs down first to locate the badgers in the chambers. The dogs may have radio transmitting collars and the baiters will hover the ground above with radio receivers until the signal is found.
    Back to Index


    [31]
    Question from (No ID): How do badgers defend themselves if they are attacked?

  • Answer: The badgers that I have dealt with which have felt threatened, eg. while trying to rescue them etc, usually back into a corner if available. They will also try to crawl under objects - making them hard to rescue, say, from a shed. The ones which I have 'startled' in woods etc just run off as fast as they can, sometimes giving a warning growl. If actually attacked, and can't run off, they will use their powerful bite against a foe. Although they have very powerful front legs and long claws (used for digging) they are not particularly known to use these for defence.
    Back to Index


    [32]
    Question from Jo: I've heard there is going to be a Badger cull soon because of T.B - Can I help to prevent it?

  • Answer: Hi Jo, thanks for the question. Yes, there is to be a large badger cull due to the TB issue, and I believe around 10,000 badgers will killed. There are many ways you can help to try prevent it, for instance, write to your local MP and the Prime Minister voicing your objections. Badger groups around the country are organising peaceful demonstrations etc to bring the issue into public view. Perhaps you would like to become involved in your local group's activities. If so, please Email Me so that I can forward you details of your nearest badger group.
    Back to Index


    [33]
    Question from 'Queen Badger': Do you have a badger adoption/sponsorship scheme? If so how can I find out about it?

  • Answer: Hi 'Queen Badger', thanks for the question. The Neath Port Talbot Badger Group does not have such a scheme which you mention. We do however try to get residents which live near a sett to 'adopt' it and look after it, eg. by telephoning us or the police immediately if anyone is seen tampering with it. You would be surprised how protective such residents are to 'their' sett. Other badger groups around the country may have schemes you mention, if you could Email Me then I would be glad to forward you details of your nearest badger group.
    Back to Index


    [34]
    Question from Brett Berry: How do badgers use air?

  • Answer: Hi Brett, thanks for the question. I'm not really up on biology so I can only say that they breath air to burn the oxygen to produce energy, the same as us really. Hope this is of some use (if anyone out there has a more helpful answer please let me know).
    Back to Index


    [35]
    Question from Ell, 17/01/99: Who would win in a fight, a fox or a badger?

  • Answer: Hi Ell, thanks for the question. Normally badgers and foxes don't fight, as is the case with most wild animals it is within the same species that fights most frequently occur, usually territorial or mating disputes. Personally, I have never seen the two species fighting, in fact I have seen, more than once, foxes using a part of a badger sett as their den. The nearest thing to a confrontation I have experienced was in a village near to where I live where a lady fed badgers and foxes in her garden. The badgers I can definitely say had first choice of the food dish content. The foxes present waited gingerly in the sidelines until the badgers had had their fill and moved off. This I feel suggests that the fox at least knows who would win!
    Back to Index


    [36]
    Question from Thom 23/01/99: In reference to Ell's question, who would win in a fight between a regular badger (Meles meles) and an African Honey Badger?

  • Answer: Hi Thom, thanks for the question. Difficult to say really, I believe our badger and the honey badger are around the same build, size and weight, so I suppose it would depend on the gender involved, their nature, age and degree of territorial instincts etc - pretty much aspects that would be considered in guessing a winner in a confrontation between our UK badgers. Luckily though, the two species are unlikely to meet. Quite a long-winded way to say I don't really know eh?
    Back to Index


    [37]
    Question from Austin 22/01/99: I have heard that in Canada, problem beavers are parachuted into remote areas for relocation. Instead of culling badgers in areas where there are cattle, would it not be possible to move them in a similar way?

  • Answer: Hi Austin, thanks for the question. Interesting concept! There are three main problems I see in relocated badgers under threat of TB culling. The first is that the UK hasn't really any 'remote' areas in the true sense of the word, at least as compared to Canada. Most land in the UK is owned by somebody, and many people may not welcome the badgers. Secondly, badgers are extremely territorial and may even kill a strange badger wandering in their 'patch'. The new badgers of course will present a threat to the local badger population in terms of competition for food resources. Thirdly, TB tests as I understand them are not 100% reliable, so infected badgers may be inadvertently relocated into TB-free areas - which would be disasterous for both the local badger population and cattle. Badgers nevertheless are already relocated in the UK, eg. orphans etc are grouped together and released in areas which will not affect other badgers, however, there are strict regulations attached to such movements. Hope I have been of some help.
    Note: I would be interested to hear from anyone outside of the UK who has information on badger relocation in their country.
    Back to Index


    [38]
    Question from Rodger 28/01/99: Would badgers eat lettuce if I put it out in my garden for them?

  • Answer: Hi Rodger, thanks for the question. I feel probably not. If badgers are coming into your garden they are more than likely after earthworms etc and any tit-bits left out. They may eat the lettuce, but in my experience farmers and gardeners etc have never complained about badgers eating their stocks of lettuce. Like all animals though, I daresay that if they are hungry enough they would eat it, particularly during times of drought when earthworms are hard to come by.
    Back to Index


    [39]
    Question from Oliver Dimelow 31/01/99: Do you enjoy working with badgers?

  • Answer: Hi Oliver, thanks for the question. The answer in the main is yes, although not all of our work is pleasant. For example, two weeks ago I had to attend to a badger which had been knocked over, and unfortunately it later died. Only today when out surveying some local setts I discovered two had been dug by baiters. I can't be sure if any badger was killed, but the police are now involved. The other side of the coin is very enjoyable, ie. watching badgers, releasing recovered badgers back to their sett, counting new born cubs, tracking badgers to discover new setts - and not least, meeting nice people who care enough to help.
    Back to Index


    [40]
    Question from Ruprecht 2/2/99: What time of the year do badgers mate?

  • Answer: Hi Ruprecht, thanks for the question. I have read quite a few different opinions on this, including that they mate all year round. I daresay that this might be true, although it is generally accepted that mating is most intensive around mid summer, with around early winter being the least. Just a point of interest, female badgers do not become pregant after mating in the normal manner, but undergo 'delayed implantation' which avoids new cubs being born on the onset of winter, which would threaten their survival. Instead, implantation takes place around the end of winter so ensuring cubs are born in early spring when food is about to become plentiful.
    Back to Index


    [41]
    Question from Trevor 2/2/99: Do badgers have a problem, in the wild, with nails?

  • Answer: Hi Trevor, thanks for the question. Not really, although badger claws, especially front, grow very quickly and are very hard they wear down rapidly due to their constant digging habits, which involves shifting compacted clay, stones and abrasive soils. A badger's teeth may not fair so well though. Due to their diet of earthworms, which have soil within them, a badger's teeth can wear down rapidly, particularly if their territory has abrasive soils. Taking this into account I often use teeth-wear as a means of aging a badger.
    Back to Index


    [42]
    Question from Theo 5/2/99: I often have badgers visiting my garden, which was great until now. My son wants a tortoise as a pet and I am concerned that the badgers will attack the tortoise. I have a garden fence and I thought that I might try and make some barricade to stop the badgers getting in. Is this a problem? Would a badger attack a tortoise? Could I make some blockade? If badgers don't like lettuce, could I leave some out so they would go away?

  • Answer: Hi Theo, thanks for the question. A difficult one this.... in my experience no one has ever complained to me about a badger attacking/eating a tortoise. Whether they have the power to break the shell I can't really say, although I would think they have the power to break a young tortoise's. A badger is one of the few animals that can get through the defences of a hedgehog, so they may 'have a go' at the tortoise, and even if they fail they would certainly take some at it causing the tortoise much stress. Another factor is that their very long claws may injure the tortoise while retracted in its shell. A fence barricade may help to reduce the risk, but in my experience badgers are expert at getting into a garden, one way or another, and can destroy a barricade if not built strongly enough. In fact, anything you build, including a blockade, would have to be very strong indeed. I don't think badgers would be put off entering a garden with lettuce in it, and may even eat it if hungry enough. The best advice I can really give is don't risk it, even though I have no experience of an attack on a tortoise - there's a first time for everything!
    Back to Index


    [43]
    Question from Luis Delgado 10/2/99: Can badgers make good pets, and if so, do you know where I could get one?

  • Answer: Hi Luis, thanks for the question. Keeping a badger as a pet is extremely risky. They dig by habit, and wall plaster to them is just another 'soil' to dig, as would be the carpet. Badgers in my experience are not 'nasty' animals, but allthesame certainly should never be handled in any circumstance unless very experienced. Besides such hazards the badger here in the UK is a protected species and it is illegal to keep one - unless specially permitted under licence (usually granted only to look after an injured badger with stringent obligation to release it back to the wild immediately on its recovery). It would certainly be illegal for anyone to provide a badger for a pet, and very unfair to the animal's welfare. You do not say what country you live, but if in the UK and are ever offered a badger please report it to the police immediately.
    Back to Index


    [44]
    Question from Tom Brown 10/2/99: A co-worker was going on about badgers and commented that badgers, when provoked, will bite (you) in the crotch. That sounded a little strange to me. Is this what badger experts believe, or is it an old wives tale?

  • Answer: Hi Tom, thanks for the question. To be honest I have never heard of this one, and thankfully have never suffered such a fate! In my experience with working with badgers I have to say they will certainly bite if provoked - but at the nearest thing to them, ie. fingers, hands, ankles etc. If the nearest area was the groin then I suppose they would bite there without hesitation. On seeing the very effective 'result' of such a bite they might learn to bite there on future occasions when provoked. Until then I agree with you in suspecting it's an old wives tale. Hope this answers your question ok, have to go now as my eyes have started to water!
    Back to Index


    [45]
    Question from Nicholas Quentin-Harper 21/2/99: Do Badgers eat smaller animals such as voles or squirrels?

  • Answer: Hi Nicholas, thanks for the question. Yes, Badgers do eat small mammals, such as mice etc. However, I haven't read any information regarding them eating squirrels and voles though. They have been known to eat hedgehogs - they are one of the few animals that can get through the creature's defence by 'unrolling' it to expose its vulnerable unbelly. Hope this answers your question ok.
    Back to Index


    [46]
    Question from Benedict 21/2/99: Do badgers talk to each other? How do they communicate?

  • Answer: Hi Benedict, thanks for the question. I haven't come across any information about how badgers communicate by sound, although like dogs and cats etc I daresay they use growls, body language and the like to communicate their 'messages'. Smell is important for communicating territory ownership, ie. they deposit dung in small pits along their territory boundaries which acts as a sort of 'odour fence'. Urine also plays a part. They also secrete a musky scent from a gland near the base of the tail onto other badgers within their 'clan'. This is used for recognition purposes and any badger that appears without the 'clan' odour must be an intruder from another sett - who will then be promptly seen off. Hope this answers your question ok.
    Back to Index


    [47]
    Question from 'Maverick' 21/2/99: I saw a farmer run over a badger, should I report it to the police?

  • Answer: Hi Maverick, thanks for the question. If it was done deliberately then this would be an illegal act, and therefore feel that it should be reported in the same way as other criminal acts witnessed. However, I also feel that it may be very difficult to prove that it was deliberate. Fortunately, the large majority of farmers I meet are pro-badger and would try to avoid one on their roads if possible. Sorry I can't be of more help on this one.
    Back to Index


    [48]
    Question from Alan Bloomfield 4/3/99: I have heard that badgers smell very bad, due to the 'russell dust' they leave about the wood marking their area? Is this true and therefore an easy way of finding badgers?

  • Answer: Hi Alan, thanks for the question. You are right in indicating that badgers have a particular 'smell', although I feel it is not repugnant - but others might disagree. Their musky odour, if familiar with it, can be noticed at sett entrances, but I have never sensed badgers in this way outside of the sett area - although other animals with more acute abilities may very well do so. Hope this helps.
    Back to Index


    [49]
    Question from Steven Judd 4/3/99: Have there been any cases where a badger has been killed by a fox? Or is the badger clearly more adept at woodland fighting?

  • Answer: Hi Steven, thanks for the question. Locally I have not heard of any such cases, and where badgers and foxes frequent the same area, or sett, they seem to get along with each other most of the time. On the odd occasion that I have seen friction, usually over food left out in a garden, the fox has always backed off - which indicates the answer to your second question.
    Back to Index


    [50]
    Question from Todd 10/3/99: What is the life-span of a badger?

  • Answer: Hi Todd, thanks for the question. The natural life-span of a sow badger is around 13 years, and a boar around 10 years. However, very few badgers live to see this and usually die of un-natural causes much earlier, such as on roads, snaring, poisoning, baiting, starvation due to loss of habitat and culling (legal and illegal) etc. For instance, the majority of badgers that group members collect from roadsides average an age of 5 years - which has a massive cumulative affect on future populations.
    Back to Index


    [51]
    Question from Jennifer F. 24/3/99: Are there any badgers in France?

  • Answer: Hi Jennifer, thanks for the question. Yes, there are badgers in France, although they don't enjoy the same level of protection that they do here in the UK. The species is the same, ie. the European Badger meles meles. Hope this answers your question ok.
    Back to Index


    [52]
    Question from Emily Matson 26/3/99: What is a badger's habitat?

  • Answer: Hi Emily, thanks for the question. A badger's habitat, as with habitats of other species, describes the normal environment that the species lives. Basically, for the badger this involves its sett (commonly, wooded hill-sides), and feeding grounds (commonly woodland, meadow and pasture). Hope this helps.
    Back to Index

    My Name/ID is : James_collins_98 My Email Adress is : james_collins_98@yahoo.com My Question is: What do badgers eat?


    [53]
    Question from James Collins 8/4/99: What do badgers eat?

  • Answer: Hi James, thanks for the question. Badgers primary food-stuff are earthworms of which around 200 may be consumed in one night. They do eat other foods including small mammals, such as mice, insects, honey and berries. Urban badgers, like the urban fox, have developed a liking for our foods and our pet foods. I have seen badgers in gardens eating, for example, chips, curry, toast, biscuits, yoghurt, and dog and cat food. However, whether such foods are beneficial is open to debate, as they may not contain vital minerals and trace elements etc. Hope this answers your question ok.
    Back to Index


    [54]
    Question from Ryan 10/4/99: Has a badger ever seriously hurt a human?

  • Answer: Hi Ryan, thanks for the question. To be honest, not in my own experience. There has been one occasion locally where a group member received a bite to the arm from an injured badger while being treated in a vet's, although I believe the injury wasn't terribly serious. It must be remembered that badgers are wild and powerful animals and are capable of inflicting injury if, say, provoked or trapped etc. I will add that I have not yet come accross a 'nasty' badger that will chase and bite for the sake of it, and badgers I have stumbled across in the wild have run away sharply, unlike many pet dogs I have come across! Hope this answers your question ok.
    Back to Index


    [55]
    Question from Ian Stewart 5/3/99: Is the North American Badger nocturnal?

  • Answer: Hi Ian, thanks for the question. I believe it is.. however, I have read that it is slightly less nocturnal than our European Badger. Also, that desert-dwelling badgers only come out at night to avoid the intense heat of the day, which may result in dehydration etc, whereas the European badger is often seen out in the daylight of summer evenings. Hope this answers your question ok.
    Back to Index


    [56]
    Question from Cartman 28/4/99: As far as I understand, badgers are a protected species, and the police have the right to search a persons car/person for one. Have there ever been any cases of this, and if so where was the badger hidden.

  • Answer: Hi Cartman, thanks for the question. You are right in saying that the badger is a protected species, and that they are transported illegally. A recent case that comes to mind is where a badger was being transported from Wales to England, probably for eventual baiting. The culprits were apprehended driving a van - the badger was hidden in the back.
    Back to Index


    [57]
    Question from Eddie 7/5/99: I watched with interest the documentary on badgers the other night, and was horrified by the gassing scenes, but admired the work of the people who go round releasing badgers from the traps. Is it not possible for these people to issue badgers with some form of gas mask, so that they were protected.

  • Answer: Hi Eddie, thanks for the question. I assume you are referring to the BBC program on the TB culling strategy. It is my understanding that the Government stopped the use of gas in previous culling measures due to the suffering of the animals, its indiscriminate affect, and public outcry, so it may have been older footage you seen.

    The present method adopted by the Ministry of Agriculture (MAFF) is to shoot the badgers in the trap - but executioners have been critiscised for not doing the job properly in ensuring that the animals did not experience undue suffering (badgers were left for periods without checking that they were dead -as seen on TV).

    Anyway, nice idea about the masks, but what they need is bullet-proof helmets, or more effectively, a Government which keeps to its pre-election 'promises' to leave badgers alone (that's the way I took it), and also which obeys EC treaties in which it signs - The Bern Convention [1] recommended in December 1998 that the culling should stop because it had serious doubts over the culling trial. Since the December decision, the British government has sent detailed written evidence to the Convention in an attempt to justify the cull, but this too was rejected by the Convention. The Convention has further stated that the British government is now isolated in Europe.

    [1] The Bern Convention is Europe's most important and long-standing wildlife treaty. It was signed in 1979 by more than 30 countries in Western and Eastern Europe (including the UK) and Africa, and is enshrined in the EC by the Habitats Directive and in Britain by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Protection of Badgers Act 1992.
    Source: The National Federation of Badger Groups (NFBG).

    Further information on the culling issue can be found on the NFBG website

    Back to Index


    [58]
    Question from Anis 13/5/99: How to badgers adapt to where they live?

  • Answer: Hi Anis, thanks for the question. There are many factors here, and I should say that I am not an expert in the subject, but I will try to give some key points.

    Badgers, as with all species, adapt to their environment as a process of evolution. This adaption continues to 'amend' itself as the environments of species undergo change - a race that can't really be won as environments rarely remain static. One factor why badgers are nocturnal and live underground is said to be due to their persecution (the word 'badgering', ie. to badger someone, supports this view). Badgers do not fair well when sudden change to their environment occurs, as opposed to progressive over hundreds/thousands of years - which allows them time to adapt. Unfortunately, the modern age results in such sudden change. Huge areas of feeding habitat are lost to development, resulting in them having to feed from gardens and, a sorry site, from refuse bins. Many are killed on new roads that are built over their paths, or are killed on existing roads as they are forced to explore further afield in search of new feeding grounds. Many new born cubs die of starvation. Badgers are also poisoned as they eat earthworms and grubs from gardens that have been treated with pesticides. Consuming such chemicals would I feel ultimately affect their genetics.

    Regarding more 'natural' factors, in my experience badgers adapt well. For instance, in very dry summers when their primary foodstuff, ie. earthworms, are hard to come by then they will turn to other foods more, such as blackberries. In very wet winters and summers they will temporarily vacate main setts which become too wet and move to secondary setts which are drier, eg. at a higher altitude which drain better. A classic characteristic of the badger (sow) is their ability to undergo 'delayed implantation', ie. where mating takes place in the summer but pregnancy does not occur until the following, say, January, so ensuring that cubs are born in spring - giving them the best chance of survival as foodstuffs are more plentiful. A badgers' coat is adapted to living underground. The larger 'surface'(guard) hair is course and strong, and angled to the rear - ideal for squeezing through narrow tunnels. Its long claws and powerful forelegs and shoulders are purpose-built for digging. Although carnivore, badgers teeth have adapted for consuming vegetable matter - they have canines, incisors and molars. Hope this sorts of answers your question.
    Back to Index


    [59]
    Question from Hayley Brown 27/5/99: How long have badgers been around for?

  • Answer: Hi Hayley, thanks for the question - I'll try to keep the answer short. The badger's mammal (class Mammalia) ancestory goes back to around 280 million years ago, to the Permian era. From the mammals came the carnivores (order Carnivora), which occurred around 20 million years ago in the Pliocene era. From the carnivores came the mustelids (family Mustedilae), occurring around 2 million years ago in the Pleistocene era. Finally, from the mustelids came the species of badger (eg. meles meles) that we all know today. This final stage is thought to have occurred around half a million years ago. Other members of the badger's family, who share the same ancestory, include the otter, marten, weasel, polecat, mink, wolverine and stoat. Hope this answers your question ok.
    Back to Index


    [60]
    Question from Seth 27/5/99: Last summer I worked in a vets for work experience, and one of the partners was performing what he described as an enema on a badger that had been run over. Why would he do this?

  • Answer: Hi Seth, thanks for the question. In a nutshell - I haven't a clue! I would take an 'uneducated' guess that if the animal was still alive then the enema might be used to clear the badger's bowels ready for possibly surgery, or perhaps to determine any injury to the bowels. Sorry I can't help much on this one - if any one out there can shed some more light on this please let me know.
    Back to Index


    [61]
    Question from George 7/6/99: I was wondering if badgers could ever breed like rabbits, and if they could, would their numbers explode. Also, do you ever get deformed badgers, and if so, what are their deformities?

  • Answer: Hi George, thanks for the questions. Sow badgers only usually give birth once a year, in early spring, with their litter size being an average of two cubs. It has been estimated that 50% of new born cubs die, eg. of starvation due to loss of feeding habitat. Cubs which do survive to adulthood do not often live out their natural life span of 10-15 years, with many being killed on roads, railways, poisoned, baited and culled etc. Considering these factors it would seem unlikely that we will ever see a population explosion that rabbits are capable of, more probably the reverse is true - our local population here has declined somewhat since my first involvement with badgers some10 years ago, with some once very active setts now lying dormant.

    It is recognised that a species will evolve to breed enough litter to ensure its survival, given adequate feeding resource. As rabbits have numerous natural predators it is in their interest to produce large breeds often. The badger's natural predators, eg. bear and wolf, on the other hand have long been extinct in this country and are not as common as they once were in other countries, so large breeds have become unwarranted. Unfortunately, the main causes of death mentioned above are 'un-natural', with roads being a 'new' and devastating factor (in the UK road deaths are estimated to be around 45,000 a year). Whether or not the badger's birth rate will evolve to compensate for such high losses remains to be seen. It is also believed that a species will produce a litter size appropriate to its available feeding habitat, ie. that can sustain it, and as badgers are losing habitat at quite a rate then things don't look that promising here either.

    To answer your second question, I personally have never come across a badger with a deformity of any kind. I would however not really expect to as I feel that any cub born with a deformity may very likely be abandoned by its mother, and would not survive long after birth. New born cubs emerge from their sett when they are around 8 weeks old, and so any deformed young may not even live long enough to emerge. I have found quite a few dead young cubs at openings of sett entrances, and although no obvious signs of physical deformity were evident, they may have had some disability which was 'picked' up by their mother - who may then have removed them from the sett. Badgers do have genetic variations though, usually involving their colour. Albino badgers exist, with white coats and pink eyes, also black badgers (melanistic) and brown badgers (erythristic) exist - the latter sometimes being called a 'red' badger. Semi-albinos also exist, with white coats but with the usual black eyestripes, although the eyes are pink as in a full albino. Hope this answers your questions ok.
    Back to Index


    [62]
    Question from Richard 15/6/99: Where is the best place to see badgers in Pontardawe?

  • Answer: Hi Richard, thanks for the question. There are badger setts in your area, but I am not allowed to say where over the Internet, ie. to protect them from baiters etc who may look into these site pages. Many people see badgers when just out walking in the country though - I've seen many this way myself. Hope this helps.
    Back to Index


    [63]
    Question from Dustin 18/6/99: When do badgers start having young?

  • Answer: Hi Dustin, thanks for the question. Female badgers (sows) are able to start having young (cubs) when they about two years old. They only have one litter per year, which is born in early spring. Litter size is usually 2 to 3 cubs. Hope this answers your question ok.
    Back to Index


    [64]
    Question from [No ID] 22/6/99: Do badgers like Jam?

  • Answer: Badgers can be very fussy eaters. The ones we have looked after have shown a like and dislike of a variety of foods. One badger may love dog food while another will only eat cat food. We have fed them on things like sausages, toast, meat pies, pasties and fruits. Most of the badgers we have had loved honey, some with fresh peanuts mixed in(not salted). Some have liked jam, while others don't touch it. We only give them sweet things though as a treat now and then because it is bad for their teeth. Hope this answers your question ok.
    Back to Index




    END OF QUESTION/ANSWERS


    I have a Question

    Back to Home Page

    Top of Page