The influence of public access and sett visibility on badger (Meles meles) sett disturbance and persistence

Abstract

The impact of public rights of way on badger setts was examined in the Bradford area of West Yorkshire using comparisons of 38 setts surveyed in 1985–1996 and again in 1992–1993. Badger setts were compared on the basis of whether they were still in use or not, and on the number of illegal disturbance events recorded over the study period. The number of, and distance from, public accesses did not influence sett persistence, and the least frequently disturbed setts (i.e. those with an average of one or less disturbance incidents every 2 years) were closer to a larger number of accesses. Frequency of poaching was high near to heavily disturbed setts and those no longer occupied at the later survey. Less frequently disturbed setts were associated with landowners who were unsupportive of badger conservation: it is possible that such landowners are highly protective of their land and thus incidentally reduce the frequency of poaching and other forms of disturbance. Setts in areas with formal authorized shooting were less disturbed. Setts still in use tended to be in open habitats and visible from roads and nearby dwellings. Setts in open areas were less often disturbed than those in wooded sites. Since public access may not reduce sett persistence and may even be beneficial in an area of high wilful persecution, there are implications for the management of public access.