Badger Bait-Marking - A population study to inform conservation management

摘要

The European Badger Meles meles is a nocturnal, semi-fossorial carnivorous mammal in the Mustelidae (weasel) family. It can grow up to around 70cm in length and can weigh up to 12kg. Although it is technically classed as a carnivore, due to the presence of an impressive set of canine teeth, it displays more omnivorous tendencies and will eat anything it can find, such as plant material, cereals, fruit, small mammals, birds and insects (Badger Trust, 2017). The primary and most favoured food is earthworms (typically Lumbricus terrestris), which generally make up over half of the diet (Clarke, 1994).