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Estimating the impact of past persecution and habitat changes on
badger numbers in Britain
Journal
Mammal
Review
Volume 23 Issue 1,Pages1-15 Published Online: 28Jun2008
Authors
PAOLA REASON 1 , STEPHEN HARRIS 1 ,
* PENNY CRESSWELL 1 1 Department of Zoology, University of
Bristol, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UG, UK
Abstract
Data from a Badger sett survey undertaken in the
mid-1980s were used to calculate the effects of past persecution and
land-use changes on Badger numbers. The current British Badger population
was estimated to be 41,894 ± 4404 social groups; if the effects of past
persecution were eliminated, the population could be 43,437 ± 4731 social
groups, an increase of 3.7%. Most of this increase relates to persecution
in Norfolk and Suffolk last century. In Britain the Badger population is
largely confined to those areas which are intensively managed, and the
numbers and distribution of Badgers reflect patterns of agricultural
activity. However, over-intensive use of the landscape is detrimental to
Badger numbers. To quantify the impact of land-use changes on the British
Badger population, a number of habitat features favourable to Badgers were
identified; 1-km squares that contained five or more such features had
significantly higher mean Badger densities. If all the 1-km squares were
managed to include five or more of the habitat features favoured by
Badgers, and the effects of persecution were eliminated, the Badger
population could be 58,284 ± 5640 social groups, an increase of 39%. The
absence of semi-natural broadleaved woodlands in a 1-km square had the
greatest effect in reducing Badger numbers, and tree-planting schemes may
be beneficial in providing potential new sett sites. However, Badgers are
poor colonists, and the construction of artificial setts and the
translocation of displaced social groups of Badgers will greatly
facilitate the colonization process. The value of such an approach for
predicting the effects of future land-use policy on Badgers and other
species, and for managing the British wildlife resources, is discussed.
Keywords
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