Badger Surveys

Badger surveys consist of a surveyor exploring the site and the surrounding 30m where accessible, in order to confirm the presence or absence of badger setts and the potential for badgers to use the site for foraging, ranging and sett creation.

A badger survey can be undertaken at any time of year however, it is recognised that the optimal survey season is between October and March when vegetation is less likely to obscure setts present on site.

Any setts identified within the site, or surrounding 30m, will be classified into one of four categories: main sett, annexe sett, subsidiary sett or outlier sett. Level of use will also be recorded: well-used, partially used or disused.

Where badger setts are confirmed within or adjacent to the site, further sett monitoring may be required, for up to 28 days, in order to determine the activity level of the sett and confirm recommendations for mitigation.

Other signs of badger activity will be recorded during the survey, including well used paths and latrines which can indicate territorial boundaries and determine which areas of site are most travelled by badger.

All surveys are undertaken in line with the 2023 Badger Protection: Best Practice Guidelines for Developers, Ecologists and Planners The Badger Trust, as well as 1989 Surveying Badgers The Mammal Society.