BADGER
Meles meles
STATUS:
Widespread throughout the county
Widespread throughout the
county, common in many areas and has apparently increased in recent
decades. Badgers are most often associated with woodland or hedgerows
but setts are quite often found in open dale sides or fields in the
White Peak. They are rare or absent on high moorlands but do occur
on the moorland edge and setts are known up to at least 350m. They
also avoid wetlands, where sett construction is difficult. Reddish
or gingery-coloured (erythristic) individuals are sometimes seen. Many
records come from badgers killed on the roads, which represents a major
cause of mortality. Badger digging and other forms of persecution remain
a problem in some places. Four Badger Groups cover the county (High
Peak, Mid-Derbyshire, Northeast Derbyshire, South Derbyshire).
[old local name: boson]
