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Introduction

The only badgers that most people see are dead ones lying on the sides of our roads. Although it is always sad to see a dead badger, if you pass on details of these casualties, this provides information which can help with the study and protection of the species.

In Britain, many local Badger Groups keep records of road casualties. Thse records help the Groups to learn more about where and when most casualties occur, and can help with finding unrecorded badger setts. Some Badger Groups also keep records of sightings of live badgers, and of other evidence of badgers found away from any known badger setts. Badger records are also kept by biological or biodiversity records centres in Britain, and by other organisations in some of the other countries where this species occurs. You are therefore urged to report any sightings or other evidence of badgers that you see to your local Badger Group (in Britain), or to any national recording scheme for your country. For details of your local group, visit the website of the Badger Trust.

The following guidelines will help you to provide useful information about any badger sighting or any other evidence of badgers that you encounter, by asking the questions that you should try to answer in your report.

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What are you reporting?

Please specify whether you are reporting:

• A sighting of a live badger - for example, one seen crossing the road, or in your garden.
• A dead badger - for example, an RTA (Road Traffic Accident victim).
• Other evidence such as footprints, a latrine, or badger hair in a barbed wire fence. Please only report evidence that you find away from any known setts. Evidence found at a sett should be included in a report of the sett (see Reporting badger setts).

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Where did you see it?

Please indicate the location of the badger or other evidence as precisely as possible. There are various ways in which you can do this, any or all of the following methods are acceptable:

• An Ordnance Survey grid reference. A four-figure reference (e.g. SP5960) is acceptable, a six-figure reference preferable, and an eight-figure reference brilliant!
• A description of the location. In the case of an RTA, state which road it is on (for example "A45" or "Minor road between Brockton and Bawson's End", which side of the road it is on, and how far (and in what direction) it is from the nearest specified road junction, farm house, roadside copse or other landmark.
• A sketch map. This can be helpful to illustrate your description of the location.

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When did you see it?

Please give the date on which you saw the badger or other evidence.

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Dead badger - how did it die?

Most dead badgers that you see will be RTAs, but dead badgers can be found in other circumstances. Badgers that have died from natural causes - boars with infected bite wounds or cubs that have died from starvation - are sometimes found. Occasionally badgers that have died in suspicious circumstances, such as baiting victims or snared or poisoned badgers, may be found.

Sometimes, badger baiters dump their victims on roadsides to make them look like road casualties. Such animals will have bite wounds inflicted by dogs, especially around the head. However bite wounds can also be inflicted by other badgers, especially on the rump but also around the head. Baiting victims may also have broken teeth or legs or other injuries caused by the baiters, but again, such damage can also result from an RTA. It is therefore difficult for the untrained eye to tell whether or not a badger on the side of the road is really a victim of badger baiting. However, if you feel that you have found such an animal, then contact your local Badger Group or the RSPCA or SSPCA straight away.

Badgers found in snares should also be reported to your local Badger Group or the RSPCA or SSPCA immediately so that they can investigate.

If you find a badger which you think may have been poisoned, do not handle the corpse - contact your local Badger Group or the RSPCA or SSPCA as soon as possible.

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Dead badger - when did it die?

In the case of RTAs, this information helps the Badger Group to establish roughly when the badger was killed, so that they can include it in their analysis of the seasonal variation in the numbers of badgers killed on roads. Please indicate roughly when the animal died as best you can (e.g. "Last night", "During the last few days", "Last month" - or if you're not sure, "Not known".

In the case of badgers which have died in suspicious circumstances, knowing whether or not the corpse is fresh helps the Badger Group to decide on their course of action. For example, in a suspected poisoning incident, if the body is fresh DEFRA can be asked to collect it for analysis.

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Dead badger - how old was it?

Please say whether the casualty is an adult or a cub, if known. An adult badger is nearly a metre from nose to tail, cubs will be smaller but their exact size will depend on the time of year.

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Picture credits

The Eurasian badger photo used at the head of this Article is © Steve Jackson. Credits for the photos used in the right-hand margin of this page for site navigation can be found on the Credits page.

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