Badger surveys can be conducted at almost any time of year, although the optimal time is spring when badgers are active but when vegetation (which can obscure field signs) is not in full growth. Surveys involve searching for field signs including badger paths, latrines, scratching posts, snuffle holes, hair and setts.

Badgers are opportunistic omnivores with a complex breeding cycle.  Cubs are generally born in February or March.  They live in social groups known as clans and are generally nocturnal. Badger clans defend their territory, which contains enough food and water to support the group throughout the year. Earthworms are a favoured food source, although this diet is supplemented by other invertebrates, together with frogs and fruit adding seasonal variation.

Within their territory, badgers live in a number of underground tunnel systems called setts.  Their setts are underground tunnels and chambers dug in suitably well-drained substrate or cavities in rock cairns. 

Badgers and their setts are given legal protection under the Protection of Badgers Act, 1992.  Amongst other things this legislation makes it illegal to:

• wilfully kill, injure or take any badger or attempt to do so
• intentionally or recklessly damage, destroy or obstruct access to any part of a badger sett
• disturb a badger when it is occupying a sett

The Protection of Badgers Act, 1992 makes provisions for Natural England/Natural Resources Wales to issue licences to interfere with badger setts for the purpose of development. 

Licences to permit development usually only permit activity near a sett or sett closures between July and November inclusive.

Not all development projects will require a licence. Whether or not a licence is required depends upon the scale and location of the potentially disturbing activities to the badger sett. Sometimes the implementation of non-licensed Reasonable Avoidance Measures will be sufficient to reduce or avoid the risk of the impact.

CES have highly skilled ecologists who are experienced in designing and implementing badger mitigation and compensation schemes.  Our experience ranges from non-licensed supervision of works to ensure that badgers setts are not damaged to the licensed closure of setts and the creation and on-going management of artificial setts.

Please contact us to discuss your specific project or request a free quotation  for conducting a badger survey and providing you with a report to support your planning application.

Useful information

Badgers and Development Projects – England

Natural Resources Wales – Badgers