Badger (Meles meles)

Associated Species Action Plans None Associated Habitat action plans Woodland Gardens, allotments, parks and open space Urban 'wasteland' Arable habitats Lowland heathland Grasslands

Badgers are found throughout Britain. They are most frequent in the southern half of England, especially the south-west. The Welsh marshes and west Wales have substantial populations but badgers are also common in the Midlands, southern England and some northern and north-western counties. Badgers are found in a range of habitats but are scarce or absent in areas of very high altitude and lowland which are too wet or liable to flooding. They favour areas where deciduous woodland grassland and arable land are in close proximity to each other. The British population is calculated to be about 309,000. Previous estimates of a 400,000+ population have been readjusted downwards. Similarly the pre 1995 figure of 250,000 badgers is now thought to be inaccurate and has now been revised to 190,000. Significantly the British population is thought to have peaked at the 390,000 level. Population levels for the Birmingham and Black Country area are not known. A 1997 report for the Wildlife Trust, based on a limited survey area identified eight known badger setts in Birmingham and also other sites where setts were suspected. This indicates a significant population within the Birmingham and the Black Country. Badger setts within Birmingham and the Black country have several common characteristics, proximity to railways and canals corridors being the most consistent. Another feature typical of the known Birmingham setts is that they are in leafy suburbs. Several of these have been established for many years. Some Black Country setts are in post industrial, brownfield sites. Other setts are known to be more recent, two post-1989, but it is doubtful that this is a sign of an expanding population. More likely, the badgers were displaced from elsewhere. In the right circumstances, badgers can live in towns and cities. Like foxes, they are adaptable animals. Research undertaken elsewhere suggests that urban badgers show less inclination to define territorial boundaries. Consequently there is a greater overlapping of the home range as they exploit and rely on a greater range of foods.

• The Krebbs Report which investigated Bovine TB in dairy herds advocates proactive killing of badgers. This is in contrast to previous culling strategies and ultimately could lead to badger-free zones.
• Construction of roads, houses and other development leads to a loss or reduction in foraging areas and an increase in the number of road casualties. Development can also lead to setts being destroyed and reduced habitat diversity.
• A variety of recreational activities can lead to disturbance to badgers in their setts. Paths in parkland and woodland should be routed away from setts. Noisy events and those involving large numbers of people should be zoned away from setts.
• Fragmentation of habitat resulting from the factors above results in isolated localised groups becoming more vulnerable to environmental change and extinction.
• The persecution of badgers is still a major problem. Public ignorance of badgers being present in urban areas means many offences go unreported. Badgers can be vulnerable to persecution because the police and public are often unsure of how to respond to these offences. Publicising telephone numbers of contacts who could give immediate advice to police or public may address this problem.

3.1 Legal status

Badgers are protected under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. It is illegal to:

• wilfully kill, injure or to take any badger or attempt to do so;
• to dig for a badger;
• to recklessly or intentionally damage, destroy or obstruct access to any part of the badger sett;
• to cause any dog to enter a sett or to disturb a badger whilst it is occupying the sett.

The legal definition of a badger sett, is any structure or place which displays signs indicating current use by a badger (these include sheds, culverts, concrete pipes, derelict buildings, etc.).

A licence from English Nature is probably required to hold large public events, such as fireworks displays, in the proximity of badger setts. A licence might also be required for tree felling within 20 metres of a badger sett.

3.2 Management, research and guidance

The Wildlife Trust is to carry out a through badger survey in 2000.

Species and Habitat Safeguard Management. Where construction of buildings or roads could cause damage of badger habitat, the following practices should be implemented.

• Disturbance to badgers should be avoided during the breeding season which is from December to June inclusively. Because of the sensitivity of breeding badgers development should be conducted outside those months and even then a licence will be required.
• It is important that food sources for badgers are maintained before development commences.
• An exclusion zone of 30 metres from the sett to be created with no access to people: This area should be planted up with a mosaic of habitats, including fruit trees, scrub, long grass and a pond or marsh area. This will provide a variety of foods, water and bedding material for badgers.
• Badger tunnels and associated fencing to be installed where badgers are crossing designated roads.
• Traffic calming to be incorporated in the planning of road schemes.

ACTION	Potential Deliverers		YEARS							Meets Objective No.
	Lead	Partner	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2011
5.1 Policy and legislation
Seek the inclusion of effective measures which protect badgers and their habitats in the preparation of Unitary Development Plans and other policy documents.	LAs	EN, WT	As Unitary Development Plans and other policy documents are prepared							2,3
Encourage the carrying out of appropriate impact studies for development proposals which may adversely affect badgers.	LAs	EN, WT								2,3
5.2 Site/species safeguard and management
Define protection zones around sett.	WT	EN, LAs, EC								2,3
All known setts to be recorded on GIS systems in order to assess the impact of proposed development on badgers	LAs, ER	WT, EN, LO								2,3
Develop a co-ordinated badger protection strategy so that setts can be protected and offenders prosecuted.	Police, LCG	EN, WT								2,3,5
5.3 Advisory
Develop systems to disseminate badger information to those involved in their conservation while retaining record confidentiality.	ER	LAs, EN, WT								1,2,3,5
5.4 Future research and monitoring
Setts and habitat to be regularly monitored.	WT, LCG	LAs, ER, EN								1
Undertake major survey to assess badger population trends.	WT, LCG	LAs, ER, EN								1
Identify the current badger population in Birmingham and the Black Country.	LCG, WT	LAs, ER, EN								1
5.5 Communications and publicity
Ensure good practice for the conservation and management of badgers is disseminated to appropriate organisations: e.g. local authority park rangers, estate managers, British Waterways, etc.	WT, EN	LAs, BW, LO								5
Promote badger awareness to public and people involved in badger conservation.	WT	LAs, EN, LCG								4
5.6 Links to other action plans
Woodland, grassland, heathland, farmland, urban 'wasteland', gardens / allotments / parks and open space

This Biodiversity Action Plan will be implemented over 10 years with a first review after 5 years. A group will be set up to co-ordinate implementation and to report to the Biodiversity Steering Group. This group will meet at a minimum on a yearly basis.

Review will be carried out in conjunction with related Habitat and Species Action Plans as appropriate.

Review will consist of measuring achievement of targets. The group will, with the support of the Steering Group, develop and implement appropriate monitoring methods which will inform the review process.

The Action Plan will be revised and updated in the light of review results and any relevant changes in circumstances and/or additional information which becomes available during the review period.

In line with national guidance, the Steering Group will report to the UK Steering Group.

Biodiversity Action Plan for Birmingham and the Black Country © 2000

Printing of this publication for educational purposes is permitted, provided that copies are not made or distributed for commercial gain, and the title of the publication and its date appear. To copy otherwise, or to republish, requires specific permission from the Steering Group.