Badger Surveys

Ecology

Badgers are found in both rural and urban areas. They live in underground tunnels and chambers called a sett. A Sett can be complex, consisting of numerous holes and connected annexe setts.  Badgers feed on a variety of food including insects, worms, grain and fruit. They do not hibernate through the winter, but they are much less active and stay below ground.

Survey Methods

Badger surveys can take place all year round. Typically the development area and surrounding 30m are surveyed for evidence of badgers in the form of latrines, setts, paths between setts or leading to feeding areas, scratching posts, hair traces and footprints.

Protection & Legislation

Under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 and the Wildlife Order (NI) 1985, it is illegal to:

• Wilfully kill, injure, take, possess or cruelly treat a badger or attempt to do so;
• Intentionally or recklessly damage, destroy or obstruct access to badger sett (whether or not there is a badger in it at the time);
• Disturb a badger while it is occupying a sett;
• Sell, keep or mark a healthy badger or possess any dead badger or part thereof.

Badgers are also protected under the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 and the Welfare of Animals Act (NI) 1972, which protect animals against cruelty.

Licensing & Mitigation

Where development will interfere with a badger sett, a development licence from Natural England is required. A development licence will only be granted if a suitable mitigation plan has been written by a suitably qualified ecologist.

Typical mitigation measures include:

• Construction of an artificial sett
• Planting of natives shrubs and trees
• Sett closure and badger exclusion
• Maintaining badger food sources
• Fencing
• Post-construction monitoring

Contact Abricon for free initial advice on badger surveys