How to recognise a Badger (the real type, not those playing golf or propping up bars)

Appearance: Black and white striped face. Body grey, black fur on legs. Head/body length - about 750mm, tail 150mm. Weight: average 8-9kg in spring, 11-12kg in autumn (if you're feeling particularily adventurous).

General Ecology: Badgers are nocturnal and rarely seen during the day. When not active, badgers usually lie up in an extensive system of underground tunnels and nesting chambers, known as a sett.

The Badgers Golf Societies Sett is known as Davys Wine Bar, Fishermans Walk, Canary Wharf, details at

www.davy.co.uk/main.asp?id=80_188_3049&tid=efee9bcff58846778fcd815c09962cbc

 If you want to have a look and arrange a visit, Badgers can be found there most days...... 

The Badgers Sett - Davys Wine Bar, Canary Wharf

 

Helping Real Badgers;

The Badger Trust

As well as a load of golfing tom-foolery, there is a serious side to our society. When we took the name 'badgers' we decided to support our furry friends and so we are corporate members of the Badger Trust (the new name for the National Federation of Badgers Groups) and also make regular donations. Badgers are regularily harmed in the wild and this organisation aids injured animals and champions the cause of our namesakes. The Badger Trust is a limited company (number 5460677) and a registered charity (number 1111440) which promotes the conservation and welfare of badgers and the protection of their setts and habitats. They are the leading voice for badgers and represent and support around 80 local voluntary badger groups.

The Badger Trust provides expert advice on all badger issues and works closely with MPs, the police and other conservation and welfare organisations. They use all lawful means to campaign for the improved protection of badgers and the Trust is a member of the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW). The Badger Trust has its origins in the fifth Annual Badger Groups Convention which took place in 1985 in Godstone, Surrey. Those present felt that there was an urgent need to set up a national body which could provide a coordinated and effective response to issues of common concern to Badger Groups.

The impetus for this initiative was the impending publication of the Dunnet report on badgers and bovine tuberculosis. The inaugural meeting of the National Federation of Badger Groups (NFBG) was held on January 18th 1986 at Westonbirt in Gloucestershire, and was attended by representatives from 19 existing and emerging Badger Groups. Today, badgers are still being slaughtered by the Government in the vain hope that this will eliminate bTB in cattle. This means that the issue of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) continues to be a high priority for action, just as it was in the 1980's when the Federation was launched. However, there are also many other issues which the Badger Trust is actively addressing.

These include snares and other forms of persecution which maim and kill badgers, developments which destroy badger setts and foraging grounds, and road traffic which kills tens of thousands of badgers every year. To carry out their work, they employ two full time members of staff (Dr Elaine King, Chief Executive, and Mark Smith (they get everywhere!), their Marketing and Fundraising Officer) and one part-time Administrative Officer (Susan Symes) who work from their office in London. The organisation is run by a Board of Directors, and they have also set up Working Parties to look into issues of particular concern. For more information please visit www.badger.org.uk and add your support - if you're feeling generous, make a donation!!. 

 

Facts About Badgers:

Occasionally, when the weather is particularly hot, badgers may briefly come above ground during daytime. The badger's most important food is earthworms, which are caught on pasture or in deciduous woodland, especially on wet nights. Other foods include bulbs (though not bluebells as commonly thought), small mammals and young rabbits. Carrion is eaten by badgers living in upland areas, but predation of farm livestock is rare. Blackberries and windfall apples are major food sources in the autumn. Cereals, particularly wheat, may be eaten, especially if other foods are in short supply.

Badgers live in social groups of four to 12 adults (perfect for a golf society!). Only one female badger in a social group normally breeds, although occasionally two or more may do so. Litters of two or three cubs are usually born in February. Badgers are widespread in Britain but are most common in the south west, rare in East Anglia and only thinly distributed in Scotland. It is estimated that there are about 42,000 social groups of badgers in Britain, made up of 250,000 adults which produce around 172,000 cubs a year. There is considerable variation in the size of social groups, so these figures can only be estimates.

Mortality is high, with around two-thirds of adults dying each year. Road traffic accidents are a major cause of death. The maximum life expectancy of a badger is about 14 years, though very few survive so long. Conservation: Badgers are protected by a number of laws. Badgers may not be deliberately killed, persecuted or trapped except under licence. Badger baiting (using dogs to fight a badger) has been outlawed since 1835, and digging for them was made illegal by the Badgers Act 1973. The Protection of Badgers Act 1992 consolidates past badger legislation and, in addition to protecting the badger itself, makes it an offence to damage, destroy or obstruct badger setts.

About 80 local groups have been formed by enthusiasts wishing to protect and study badgers. There are many positive ways to help badger conservation. These include protecting badgers from diggers and baiters by re-inforcing setts, helping with care and rehabilitation of injured badgers, having tunnels and badger proof fencing added to new road schemes and giving advice about setts in the way of developers. Some badgers are infected with bovine tuberculosis, particularly in the south west of England. These animals are the subject of a control campaign by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. There is a continuing debate about the role of badgers infecting cattle with TB.


Frequent Questions:
 
Where can I go to see badgers? Many local badger groups organise badger watches. Join these, your Wildlife Trust or The Mammal Society to make contact with other badger watchers in your area. The Badger Trust can tell you the address of your local badger group (Badger Trust, 15 Cloisters Business Centre, 8 Battersea Park Road, London SW8 4BG or www.badger.org.uk).
 
How do I know if badgers are in my area? Walk along field edges looking for badger trails under fences or through hedges, or search in woods and other likely sites of setts.

What do I do if I see badger diggers or suspicious vehicles near a sett? Take their car number, do not disturb them and call the police (dial 999) and in England or Wales the RSPCA (0345 888999), or in Scotland the SSPCA (0131 225 6418) at once.


Further Information:

Clark, M. (1988) Badgers. Whittet Books, London.
Corbet, G.B. & Harris, S. (1991) The Handbook of British Mammals. (3rd edn.). Blackwell, Oxford.
Harris, S., Jefferies, D., Cheeseman, C. & Bright P. (1989) Projects on Badgers.  The Mammal Society, London.
Harris, S., Jefferies, D., Cheeseman, C. & Booty, C. (1994) Problems with Badgers? (3rd edn.). RSPCA, Horsham, West Sussex.
Jones, A. (1991) The Badger Book. The Mammal Society, London.
Morris, P.A. (1993) A Red Data Book for British Mammals. The Mammal Society, London.
Neal, E. & Cheeseman, C. (in press) Badgers. T & A D Poyser Ltd, London.
Woods, M. (1995) The Badger. The Mammal Society, London.

All books listed above are available from The Mammal Society, from whose website we lifted this information (thanks!). To repay the favour, The Mammal Society is dedicated to promoting the study and conservation of British mammals. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in mammals. For details of membership or publications write to: The Mammal Society, 15 Cloisters Business Centre, 8 Battersea Park Road, London SW8 4BG Tel. 020 7498 4358 Fax. 020 7498 4459.
 
Enough with the serious stuff, on with the golf!!!!