Distribution and population density of badgers in Luxembourg

Badgerland online shop
Click here to buy our badger booklets, field guides, posters, PowerPoint presentations  and Teaching Kits!

Badger by Tim Roper
This reference work is packed with detail about the badger - great for studious readers - there is no better book in print.  Click here to buy: Paperback edition or Hardback edition Kindle edition

Journal

Mammal Review, Volume 34,Number 3, July 2004, pp. 233-240(8) - Blackwell Publishing

Authors

SCHLEY L.;SCHAUL M.;ROPER T.J.

Abstract

1. The distribution and density of Eurasian badgers Meles meles in Luxembourg was estimated by gathering information about the location of badger setts with a questionnaire survey, by visiting 708 setts in order to classify them as ‘main setts’ or ‘outliers’, and by estimating social group size by directly counting emerging badgers.

2. Badgers were found to be widely distributed in Luxembourg, with a minimum main sett density of 0.17 setts/km2. Setts were sited preferentially in forest habitat. The mean minimum group size was 4.6 badgers.

3. The Luxembourg badger population was conservatively estimated to contain at least 2010 adult and young badgers (95% CI 1674–2347) in spring 2002, equivalent to a density of 0.78 adult and young badgers/km2 (95% CI 0.65–0.91). This is moderate compared to most of continental Europe.

Keywords

conservation; human–wildlife conflict; Mustelidae; sett survey; social group size; wildlife management

Web site

• Blackwell Publishing