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Introduction

A great deal is being done to protect the Eurasian badger, particularly in Britain but also in a number of other countries. In Britain, most of this work is being carried out by the network of local Badger Groups that now covers most of the country, assisted by the Badger Trust.

There are also a number of other local and national organisations who carry out badger protection work, in Britain and in other countries. These include government agencies such as the police, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as the RSPCA and SSPCA in Britain, Das & Boom in the Netherlands, and le Groupe de Travail Blaireau in Belgium.

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Recording badgers and badger setts

Keeping records of the locations of badger setts helps Badger Groups and other organisations to protect badgers. For example, when plans for new roads or other developments are drawn up, records of badger setts enable the impact of the development to be assessed; measures to ensure that the needs of the badgers are taken into account can then be drawn up and put into action.

Records of dead badgers (road casualties and others) and other evidence of badger activity also increase our knowledge of the whereabouts of badgers. In Britain and the Netherlands, records of road casualties highlight where and when most road traffic accidents (RTAs) occur, which helps Badger Groups in Britain and Das & Boom in the Netherlands to tackle the problem of road casualties.

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Monitoring badger setts

Once setts are on record, it is important that this information is kept up to date. In Britain, many Badger Groups have sett checkers, monitors or wardens who check on their local setts on a regular basis. Monitoring setts in this way also helps with the detection - and hopefully deterrence - of any persecution of badgers.

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Investigating reports of persecution

The badger is afforded considerable legal protection in Britain. Of course, the law is of little use if it is not enforced. Fortunately, many police forces now have Wildlife Crime Officers (formerly Wildlife Liaison Officers) who specialise in dealing with wildlife crime, including badger-related offences. The RSPCA (SSPCA in Scotland) also investigate cases of badger persecution, as do local Badger Groups. Often, the police, the RSPCA or SSPCA and the local Badger Group will work together on such investigations. If those responsible for illegal persecution of badgers are identified, and if sufficient evidence is gathered, then the police, RSPCA or SSPCA will usually prosecute the suspects. They are often aided by expert witnesses from local Badger Groups.

In the case of offences in Britain where the misuse of poisons or pesticides is involved, the national agricultural departments (DEFRA in England) have specialist staff who will investigate.

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Giving advice

The digging and feeding activities of badgers sometimes brings them into conflict with farmers, gardeners and others. Investigating any reports of such problems and offering advice and help can usually resolve the problems without the need for any badgers concerned to be harmed. Many Badger Groups in Britain offer advice on dealing with badger-related problems. The Farming and Rural Conservation Agency also provides such advice to farmers, landowners and others.

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Dealing with developments

It is usually possible to minimise the impact of new roads, houses, quarries etc on badgers. For this to happen, people with knowledge of badgers, and information on the location of badger setts, need to work with planners and developers. In Britain, local Badger Groups, sometimes working with local Wildlife Trusts and/or the relevant national nature conservation agency, usually carry out such work. Das & Boom also carries out this work in the Netherlands.

In the case of new roads, to give just one example, special badger underpasses can be installed when the roads are built, to prevent casualties when the highways are opened to traffic.

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Reducing road casualties

In the Netherlands, Das & Boom have led the way in campaigning for measures to protect badgers from road traffic. As a result, many tunnels have been installed under roads, and many kilometres of badger-proof fencing have been erected alonside highways. In some areas, minor roads are even closed to traffic at night for the benefit of the badgers.

Much work is also being undertaken in Britain. In the 1990's, Care for Wild mounted a campaign to raise funds to pay for the erection of road signs to warn motorists of "RTA blackspots" - those stretches of roads where many badgers are killed year after year. The funds raised were used by many local Badger Groups to get signs put up at RTA blackspots in their areas.

Some Badger Groups, such as Brockwatch in south Northamptonshire, have run coordinated campaigns to try to reduce road casualties. These campaigns have included measures such as the erection of further warning signs, the recording of road kills, the rescue of injured road casualties, and raising awareness of the problem of RTAs and what people can do to cut the death toll.

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Rescuing injured badgers

In Britain, most local Badger Groups have a rescue officers with special equipment for rescuing badgers which need veterinary attention and care. Some groups also have rehabilitation facilities for the long-term care of those badgers who need this. The RSPCA / SSPCA and many other local animal care centres and sanctuaries also carry out rescue and rehabilitation work, as does Das & Boom in the Netherlands.

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Campaigning, educating and informing

It is important that as many people as possible know about the problems faced by badgers, and what can be done to help them. In Britain, local Badger Groups "spread the word" through talks, press releases, meetings, newsletters, leaflets, posters, displays, websites, attending shows and other events.

Campaigns on matters of national importance in Britain are undertaken on behalf of Badger Groups by the Badger Trust in England and Wales, and Scottish Badgers in Scotland. For example, the Badger Trust (then the National Federation of Badger Groups, NFBG) was instrumental in getting the Badgers Act of 1991 through Parliament. Currently, the issue of badgers and bovine tuberculosis is of prime importance, with a Government consultation on plans for the large-scale slaughter of badgers in England having recently (March 2006) ended.

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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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