We run a twenty four hour rescue service, and have two rehabilitation units, one in the Hastings area and one in Rother District.

All injured badgers are taken to the vets and wherever possible are treated then returned to the wild.

Surveys are undertaken prior to development of sites whenever possible. During the construction period careful monitoring takes place.

We consider it very important that Construction Companies are aware of the legislation regarding Badgers, and we are happy to help in any way possible to prevent problems arising.
 

Powers of Digging.
It is generally accepted that a badger spends nine hours or so underground for every hour it spends out of the sett above ground. The badger's life style is to surface early in the evenings, take few sniffs of the evening breezes, perhaps after a little time go off and gorge itself to extreme limits of repletion, then remain underground sleeping in a deep more or less torpid state at first, later working in the tunnels around the sett for up to five days or more before further foraging.  In soft sandy ground a badger, when disturbed, will sometimes bury himself where he stands, sooner than take to his heels, going virtually straight down like a mole,  Although the badger is probably one of natures best tunnelling experts, its skin is very pliant, it has the ability to close its nose and small eyes.  It has short legs, and incredibly strong muscles.  Badgers are able to move heavy objects, shift large amounts of soil rapidly and worm along very small passage ways.   They are unable to cope with heavy stopping up of holes by fox hunters or heavy machinery moving above them, collapsing long stretches of tunnels.

The Sett
Badger Setts may consist outwardly of only 2 or 3 entrances, yet a number of badgers may be seen leaving from the same entrance one after another.  Other setts often undisturbed for hundreds of years may run to seventy or more entrances.  Badgers, rabbits and foxes will usually be using different parts of the sett, with the badgers shifting to a fresh location, periodically moving and cleaning out tunnels and sleeping chambers in another part of the sett.  At a natural sett one can always tell when a sett is occupied - broken cobwebs, newly thrown out soil and stones, old bedding and soil mixed in huge mounds beside the entrances.  During most nights of activity the animals having digested their last feast spend the small hours raking the old bedding out of the tunnels and collecting new materials - grass, leaves, bracken, even broken branches are taken down into the sett and laid out in the bed chambers.  In some setts may of the tunnels are carpeted in summer and autumn with grass and leaves.  Very often a single spoil heap amounts to more than five tons, the weight of this material on occasions collapse the tunnels underneath and the badgers have to dig a new entrance through the mound.  This is the work of generations of badgers who have occupied their spare time tidying up and enlarging setts.

Nests
In addition to their bed chambers underground, badgers make use of sunning nests, which they make up for use at or just above their favourite entrance, in some instances the sunning nests may be found in a sun trap in a much frequented private spot.  They are identified by a very well trodden round area with an open front almost following the natural curvature of the badger's body.

Sanitation
The badgers sanitary arrangements are unrivalled by any other woodland creature. Any trace of uncleanliness around the sett is usually young badgers, who have not yet learned the full value of cleanliness.  At a convenient distance from the sett a main trail may be found to end at the latrine area - here vertical holes are dug some six inches deep and about four inches across.  Each hole being used as long as its capacity permits, when full another is dug close to it.

Intercommunication
Smell is the badgers most important sense.  This is indicated by the very large surface area provided by the scroll bones within the nasal chamber of a badger's skull.  These are covered with a layer of sensitive cells, largely concerned with the detection of a wide range of smells.  Scent plays an important part in recognizing other badgers, finding food, detecting danger and following rails.  Although the tracks are visible to us, they are scent trails to the badger because they have become impregnated with an oily substance which has a rather faint musky odour, which is secreted from the glands just beneath the tails of badgers.  Badgers like bears, posses the habit of measuring their full height against some obstacles that allows them to stretch and exercise their claws.  Elder stumps are badgers favourite scratching-posts, hawthorn, Pine and
ash trees are also used.  Quite often a trampled area around the scratching post indicates a type of dance area where they rush round and round with complete abandon.  The remainder of the territory is treated with great caution.  Scent trails are laid down with squat marks and after many  generations badgers, well worn paths extend across the Clans territory.  All badgers belonging to the same clan scent mark each other frequently.  This common scent allows them to protect their territory, all intruders are normally driven from the beat  The perimeter of the territory is marked by communal latrines well laced with scent marks.
Badgers also communicate with sounds, from high blood curdling squeals to very low chuckling grunt like sounds.  They can also make purring noises, one tone appears to be an alarm call.  In fact careful study will identify a very large complex vocabulary.

Destructiveness.
After a lifetime of working with and studying wildlife, with particular regard to badgers, I can honestly say that I have yet to discover these creatures guilty of a crime sufficient to warrant their destruction, even in a single instance.

Hibernation
The badger does not hibernate in the true sense of the word. During a spell of wild winter weather he may extend considerably his periods underground.  Some of the entrances and tunnels will be filled with leaves, twigs and occasionally small branches in order to cut down draughts.  Often the badger will fill the tunnel for four feet or so and sleep just beyond the stopped area, ventilation being available from a small hole left open at the top of the tunnel.  In this country the badger hibernates if his environment and the conditions of the season demand it, but normally hibernation is on par with that of the grey squirrel.  Principles from the above help in rehabilitating road casualties. Unfortunately, it also means that badgers not attended to after a road accident often have a slow lingering death lasting several weeks.

The Young
The young vary from one, two and sometimes three cubs born in a core period between the middle of February and the end of March.  A few sows give birth as early as the first week in December, and very young cubs are also to be seen as late as the end of June.  Nature provides a wealth of food in the form of earthworms in early spring, this gives the sows the ability to feed their young a rich supply of milk.  A cub born weighing a few ounces in February can weigh around 14 lbs or more in October, this gives a young badger a very good chance of surviving the next winter.  The young usually stay with their mother to the autumn.  At this time many of the young males are sent on their way by the dominant male boar.  These young males retire to outlying setts, these may be found in various parts of the territory.  In March the boars fight seriously for the females, and because of the stress and excitement many young boars who lose out are killed or maimed on the roads.
In small clans it is usual that only the dominant female produces two well grown cubs.  It is generally agreed that all the adult sows become pregnant, and it is thought that the dominant sown often kills of most of the other sows cubs that she is able to find as they are born.

Fighting Ability
Many strange and far fetched beliefs exist concerning badgers.  One belief is that badgers are provided with a patent locking device so that when once they  have obtained a firm grip are unable to let go.  In the same way one hears that a dog cannot hurt a badger.  It is said that a badger's hide is so tough that he will emerge without discomfort from any kind of encounter with terriers.  Badgers feel and suffer just the same as all other warm blooded creatures.
Many badgers are victims of dog worrying underground, they hide away and die a lingering death from the terrible wounds inflicted about their necks, mouth and tongues - yet badger digging is considered  by some as the sport of the gentry!  Sending terriers down to a badger in a well established sett is a very cruel business, as a last resort the badger will use a ploy inherited from a long line of ancestors most likely defending themselves from wolves.  The badger  tucks his head tightly between his forepaws, presenting the very tough deep muscled area of the back of his neck to his enemy.  As soon as the terrier gets a deep grip the badger uncurls so that the terriers throat is exposed to his teeth.  When male badgers fight for dominance in the clan they first face each other, say a few choice words, reach their full height and sway and threaten each other.  The suddenly they rush at full speed and try to grasp their opponents  rump.  Having once got a grip, large chunks are ripped out and the loser retires hastily in great pain.
Many young male badgers are found at the end of March to middle of April in dire straits needing veterinary help

How to Identify a Badgers Whereabouts.
The best way to locate any animal is by its tracks.  The Spoor of the badger is very distinctive and is easily recognised by what keepers used to call the 'bar'.   This is an oval elongated rounded tread of the ball of the foot, all five toe prints appear in front of the bar.  The badger sett has entrances and tunnels measuring about twelve inches across; very well used entrances are rainbow shaped from constant rubbing of elbows.  Spoil heaps strewn with old bedding are a dead give away.  Nuzzle holes and rooted up patches of grassland also advertise that badgers are about.  Earth nosed away from around tree roots and along hedge lines are a sure sign of badgers foraging after woodlice.  Badgers have nosed like pigs which they close up while digging.  The enormously strong muscles in the shoulders and nose areas allow the badger to root very fast after woodlice, worms and cockchafer grubs in turf, leaving the tell tale nuzzle holes, and beetles under old cow pats which are found flipped over.
The badger may be seen as a brave indigenous animal struggling to retain a footing in the land of its heritage of more that 250 thousand years standing against cruelty and ignorance

Road Casualties
Badgers injured by cars need veterinary attention as soon as possible.  The Vets we use are very experienced in badger problems.
If the badger is still breathing after the accident, but unconscious, it is possible to slide it to the side of the road.  If possible please put some sort of cover over the animal and then the Police or contact the nearest Badger Group.  Remember only do what you feel it is safe to accomplish.
When on your normal travel you notice badgers being killed at the same spot on two or more occasions please ring in to the Badger Society for investigation - a badger sett may have been interfered with.
The badgers physical make up helps them in recovery after many accidents.  This also works against them when they escape from the accident area badly injured.  We collect them up after having suffered a very slow lingering death, sometimes 3 or 4 weeks after being hit by a car.  If an accident occurs please identify the exact location.  If the badger leaves the scene injured, contact the nearest Badger Group with as much information as possible.

IT IS ILLEGAL TO INTERFERE WITH A  BADGER SETT OR DISTURB A BADGER.

IT IS ILLEGAL FOR ANY PERSON TO TAKE, INJURE, KILL OR TO ATTEMPT TO TAKE, INJURE OR KILL ANY BADGER,

IT IS ILLEGAL FOR ANY PERSON TO CRUELLY ILL-TREAT OR DIG FOR ANY BADGER OR USE BADGER TONGS.

IT IS ALSO ILLEGAL TO POSSESS A BEAD BADGER OR PART OF A DEAD BADGER WHICH HAS BEEN COME BY ILLEGALLY, INCLUDING A PELT, OR TO SELL, TRY TO SELL, OR TO KEEP A LIVE BADGER.

IT IS ILLEGAL TO MARK OR RING A BADGER.