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Anyone else in Somerset noticing a lot more badger roadkill this last week? Normally I see a fresh one every other day but at the moment it seems to be a few fresh ones every day.
Not sure if it's just normal time of the year for it, harvest activity induced, badger cull hunt induced or because of the activity of the anti-cull activists disturbing them. Would be a bit ironic if it was the latter!
I see they are also claiming responsibility to the Portishead Police firearms centre destruction by arson.
[cynic]Or it could be farmers illegally killing them and dumping them on the road to look like they are road kill [/cynic]
one of the known effects of the cull is to force badgers to migrate...
more migrating badgers, more road kill.
One of the fundamental reasons why the cull is a stupid idea!
Yep, disturb them badgers and they'll start to move.
The whole cull thing is a disgrace, IMO.
Well, they are a pest just like any other and need to be controlled. I've noticed a marked increase in badger road kill over the last 2 years, and I live in an area where there is no culling. The 'save the Badger' campaign has been too successful. The natural balance of nature was lost the day we invented agriculture, now its upto us to maintain a sensible balance of species population control. The number of slaughtered cattle far outweighs the number of Badgers to be culled.
I've noticed a few on the road, but then I live in a predominantly rural area, in which there is no culling now, or planned.
Rural means fields and woods, which means badger setts, which means badgers crossing busy roads, and they, like most humans these days, it seems, have little regard for following the Highway Code.
The estimated badger population has increased from 50,000 to almost 1 million since they were protected. TB aside that is not really sustainable in ecological terms given that Badgers are a predator with nothing to fear.
This explosion in numbers has an impact on other species such as ground nesting birds, hedgehogs etc.
An increase of this magnitude will inevitably mean you see more dead badgers on the roads as there are so many more of them. I suspect there are no more than last week, you're just more aware of them because they are in the news.
there's a shitload more than usual round our way (Hampshire; no official cull) in the last month or so
oddly, always on the verge and no obvious signs of impact, unlike the deer/dogs/cats/foxes/horses that are normally flattened and/or very obviously hit. I know badgers are solid & squat but it's making me wonder
An example of preservation over conservation. If you try and preserve 1 species in a way that is not in keeping with the rest of the ecosystem you will get an imbalance. The more there are the more that will have to migrate/move to find a suitable habitat due to number pressure and the more that will be killed on roads etc.
Have we considered the views of Hedgehogs, ground nesting birds and their other favourite snacks how they like the protection the badgers have enjoyed.
The diet of the Eurasian badger consists largely of earthworms, insects, grubs, and the eggs and young of ground-nesting birds. They also eat small mammals, amphibians, reptiles and birds, as well as roots and fruit. In Britain, they are the only predator of hedgehogs, which have demonstrably lower populations in areas where badgers are numerous, so that hedgehog rescue societies will not release hedgehogs into known badger territories.
To paraphrase an Aussie I know, 'Wombats, you want to goround those f*****s!'
Having hit a badger you bloody know about it. Stopped reversed back and chucked it into the roadside. Mind you I did that for the rabbit I hit last week too. Had to leave its intestines where they remained on the road though. Didn't fancy picking them up.
More badgers means more movement as thy try and spread out. The cull will remain an emotive subject with polarised views and little chance of changing either sides views even with good evidence from either side.
Killed and dumped to look like road kill would be my guess.
Been happening for years since the tb link has been mooted.
Farmer killing them and laying them at side of road or baiting the roads so they get hit
Who decides this? are we not a pest to nature? who controls the cull on humans?Well, they are a pest just like any other and need to be controlled. I've noticed a marked increase in badger road kill over the last 2 years, and I live in an area where there is no culling. The 'save the Badger' campaign has been too successful. The natural balance of nature was lost the day we invented agriculture, now its upto us to maintain a sensible balance of species population control. The number of slaughtered cattle far outweighs the number of Badgers to be culled.
Funny you should mention this, i've seen a large increase in the numbers of badger by the sides of Norfolk's roads.
Part of my commute is along a busy A-road where i have to stay right over to the side of the road for safety, i spent most of my commute yesterday bunny hopping the buggers.