Bristol Badgers

 

 

Back in 1994 in Ashton Vale (it was classed by Avon Wildlife Trust as a “wildlife deprivation zone” –ie. No wildlife recorded and so of no real interest) I saw and counted many beetles and other insects. I also saw a pair of foxes walk up the road and a pair of barn owls flew low down over me so that all the individual feathers and facial features were visible. Oh, and one of the biggest hedgehogs I had ever seen.

Over the next few days I noted field mice, feral pigeons as well as dumped racing pigeons, hawks and even buzzards, shrews all sorts of moths and butterflies and so I set about building the 50 x 70 feet garden into a wildlife friendly area –budleija, sunflowers, wild plants and the front garden was designed as a cottage garden. But with all this wildlife how could it be a “wildlife deprivation area”?

I contacted Avon Wildlife Trust and asked to whom I should send my wildlife survey (after a year of compiling it) ?  I was told that they would be happy to hear of my survey after I had paid to join. I assumed there was a misunderstanding but I was told the same thing over the phone: no membership –no interest in the survey. I decided then and there to set up the Vale Wildlife Group (VWG). One thing I had not bargained on was the local hostility to wildlife!

I pointed out a woodpecker that had just flown onto a tree branch and my neighbour just shrugged “Another bloody bird is all” end of conversation. The wife of another neighbour told myself and a friend that if an hedgehog got in the way she just kicked it aside. I suddenly found that I was quite literally the focus of hate because I was trying to promote wildlife in the area. When the Yanley Quarry site was to be developed as a public park and nature reserve I was asked to be the wildlife consultant on the project –the harassment and anger aimed at me was incredible and the company turning an old tip into a public facility…I dread to think what backlash they faced.

The VWG continued and at least some locals were interested in how to build wildlife ponds, get insects identified and even have an adder removed from their back garden. Most queries for advice etc came from other areas of Bristol but I kept on monitoring local wildlife and still do.

Around 1997 I was completing two technical papers when the subject of badgers cropped up and I found myself involved in recording badger activity. I then thought that it would be easier to pass the information on to a local badger group and one was recorded as being at the RSPCA office in Gloucester Road –it still is!- but letters, phone messages –no responses. So I asked Avon Wildlife Trust about this and a more helpful lady told me she thought the badger group was now defunct. So out of stupidity I said I’d handle monitoring though by the mid 2000s the Fox Study was taking all of my time.

Recently I have been asked for badger advice again and, it appears, the only coverage for the City and County of Bristol comes from the Somerset Badger Watch! It seems almost impossible to believe that a city such as Bristol has no Fox Watch group and no badger watch group.

Consider this "Badgers In The City of Bristol" by Prof Stephen Harris, Dept of Biology, Bristol University from Biological Conservation journal Vol 28 no. 4, 1984 pp 349-375 

http://www.badgerland.co.uk/education/journals/environment/bristol_badgers.html

Ecology of Urban badgers - Distribution in Britain and habitat selection, persecution, food and damage in the city of Bristol Few towns and cities in Britain were found to contain badgers, and in most the numbers of setts were low. Urban areas most likely to contain badgers were those in which badgers were common in the surrounding rural areas; most urban badger populations were thought to be relicts that had survived urban encroachment. In a detailed survey of Bristol, 346 setts were located in an area of 129·4 km2. These setts were confined mainly to three areas; their past history, present distribution, habitat selection and levels of disturbance are discussed. The damage caused by badgers in north-west Bristol to garden crops and other aspects of their nuisance value are documented. The food of badgers in the same area of Bristol is also described; unlike rural badgers they took a diversity of food types, but specialized in feeding on fruit in the autumn.

Journal Biological Conservation - Volume 28, Issue 4 , 1984, Pages 349-375 Authors Stephen Harris from the Department of Zoology, University of Bristol Abstract Ecology of Urban badgers - Distribution in Britain and habitat selection, persecution, food and damage in the city of Bristol Few towns and cities in Britain were found to contain badgers, and in most the numbers of setts were low. Urban areas most likely to contain badgers were those in which badgers were common in the surrounding rural areas; most urban badger populations were thought to be relicts that had survived urban encroachment. In a detailed survey of Bristol, 346 setts were located in an area of 129·4 km2. These setts were confined mainly to three areas; their past history, present distribution, habitat selection and levels of disturbance are discussed. The damage caused by badgers in north-west Bristol to garden crops and other aspects of their nuisance value are documented. The food of badgers in the same area of Bristol is also described; unlike rural badgers they took a diversity of food types, but specialized in feeding on fruit in the autumn.

 Since 1984 the number of feeders and people who have become badger friendly -as they have fox friendly- has increased tremendously through education on the animal. 

We have any number of wildlife groups in various areas of Bristol and I know that it may involve going out in cold, wet weather –unless you can monitor from your home- but we need to know what is going on with the population and get denning sites protected and record deaths. That requires volunteers.

I know where there is badger activity in Bristol so it is a base from which to build up a better picture.  What I would like to do is add to this so need the following information:

1. Where badgers are in your area –this is NOT for public disclosure as too many “undesirables” monitor wildlife groups.

2. Do you know how many badgers and whether they have had young in 2021?

3. Have you noticed any illnesses or sign of possible ill health in badgers locally?

4. Do badgers and foxes appear to get on in your area?

5. I am only starting this particular one from yesterday (12^th January): please report any dead badgers you see particularly any that look like they died unusually

 

As we have trouble storing and transporting dead foxes to Langford for post mortem we cannot do this for badgers. A dead badger would need to be placed in a bin-liner and kept cold or frozen and then transported so unless a group can undertake that it is beyond anything I can do.  I will be checking with Post Mortem Services re. the situation in accepting badgers though.

 

Please contact me through Face Book messenger but do not post locations of badgers etc on groups. Thanks.