Badgers

Protecting Badgers Across East Kent

About the Badger

The badger is one of Britain’s largest wild animals, a quiet, unassuming creature whose secretive lifestyle has kept it a mystery to most people for centuries. One of Britain’s oldest residents, the badger has no natural predators in this country except man. Despite being a protected species since 1992, badgers continue to face serious threats: illegal persecution, road traffic collisions, and the steady loss of their natural habitat.

Nature conservationists across Britain have established badger groups to act as watchdogs for local populations and to provide free advice and assistance on all matters involving badgers. The East Kent Badger Group is your local contact for East Kent.

Biology

Badgers are stocky, powerful animals that can grow up to a metre in length, and are members of the mustelid family, relatives of otters, polecats, weasels and pine martens. Instantly recognisable by the distinctive black-and-white stripes on their face, badgers are primarily nocturnal and spend their days underground in elaborate tunnel systems called setts.

Badgers live in mixed-sex social groups of between four and eight animals, known as clans. While they share a sett, clan members forage individually, unlike many other social animals that hunt together.

Setts

A badger sett is a network of tunnels and chambers that can extend well over 50 metres, with some of the largest having more than 50 entrances. These homes are passed down through generations, and some badger setts are over 100 years old. Setts take many years to construct and are a vital part of the badger’s life. They are protected by law (see The Law section below).

Distribution in Kent

Badgers are common across much of Kent, and sometimes very common indeed. They are rarer in Thanet, on the marshes and in the central areas of the Weald, but are otherwise widespread. The East Kent Badger Group monitors populations across Tenterden, New Romney, Faversham, Dover and Canterbury.

Signs of Badger Activity

You may be closer to a badger sett than you think. Look out for:

Footprints in soft sand or mud (a distinctive five-toed print with claw marks)
Trees with scratched lower trunks, where badgers clean and sharpen their claws
Well-worn paths through hedgerows and undergrowth
Groups of dung-pits (latrines) near territorial boundaries
Large spoil heaps of excavated earth near sett entrances

Diet

Badgers are opportunistic omnivores. Earthworms form the core of their diet. In a single night, an adult badger may eat well over 200 worms. They also eat insects, slugs, snails, small mammals, soft fruit, fungi, nuts and berries. Year-round, this diet actually benefits landowners and gardeners by reducing populations of slugs, beetles and other pests.

Threats to Badgers

Illegal Persecution

Badger baiting, digging out setts and setting dogs on badgers, is a serious criminal offence, yet it persists. Badger digging, snaring, gassing and poisoning are all illegal. Despite this, such activities are on the increase in parts of East Kent. If you see anything suspicious near a known sett, please report it immediately (see Contact Us).

Road Traffic

An estimated 50,000 badgers are killed on UK roads every year. Badgers follow ancestral paths established long before today’s roads were built, and they frequently cross carriageways at night. Please slow down on country lanes after dark.

Habitat Loss

As towns, roads and developments expand across East Kent, badger habitats become increasingly fragmented. New roads can sever ancient foraging routes; building works can disturb or destroy setts. EKBG works with planning authorities and developers to mitigate these impacts.

The Badger Cull

The government’s badger culling programme, introduced as part of bovine TB (bTB) control strategy, has been highly controversial. Defra has recently confirmed it is shifting towards a prevention-led bTB strategy, though campaigning continues. For the latest on this issue, visit the Badger Trust

The Law

Badgers are protected under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. Under this law, it is a criminal offence to:

Wilfully kill, injure or take a badger
Possess a dead badger, or any part of a dead badger
Cruelly ill-treat a badger
Interfere with a badger sett — including blocking entrances, damaging it, or disturbing badgers inside

Penalties include significant fines and imprisonment. Despite this protection, illegal activity remains widespread.

You can help.

If you see suspicious activity near a known sett — cars parked in unusual locations, individuals with spades, nets, sacks or terriers — do not approach or confront them. Instead:

Note the details: vehicle colour, make and registration; number and description of individuals; any tools or equipment visible
Record the exact location as precisely as possible
Call the police on 999 immediately — badger persecution is a serious criminal offence
Contact EKBG at info@eastkentbadgergroup.co.uk to report what you have seen

Living with Badgers

Badgers in Gardens

Badgers occasionally visit gardens in search of earthworms, grubs and fallen fruit. While they can cause some disruption to lawns and flower beds, this can usually be managed without harming the animals. EKBG can offer free advice on practical, badger-friendly deterrence measures. For detailed guidance, visit the Badger Trust’s Living with Badgers guide at badgertrust.org.uk/living-with-badgers.

Road-Injured Badgers

A road-injured badger is an extremely dangerous animal to handle — even if it appears unconscious. Never attempt to approach or move an injured badger unless you are trained to do so.

If you find an injured or dead badger on or near a road:

If the animal appears lifeless, check carefully — an injured badger may appear dead
If injured, keep your distance and call for expert help immediately
If the animal is a lactating female, note the location and contact us — there may be dependent cubs nearby

Who to call:

EKBG: 01227 953568
RSPCA: 0300 1234 999 (24 hours)
Kent Police Rural Taskforce: 07870 252185

Planning and Development

Badger setts are protected by law, and any development likely to disturb or destroy a sett requires a licence from Natural England. If you are involved in a planning application near a known sett, or if you suspect a development is threatening a local badger population, contact EKBG for free advice. For comprehensive guidance, visit badgertrust.org.uk/planning-development-and-badgers.

Farmers and Landowners

If badgers are causing problems on your land — whether that’s crop damage, burrowing near buildings, damage to bowling greens or golf courses, or concerns about livestock — EKBG is ready to give free, confidential advice. We can assist with:

The installation of badger gates to prevent badgers entering farm buildings or specific areas
Practical deterrence measures to protect crops, gardens and greens
The legal aspects of dealing with badger-related issues on your land
Habitat management to encourage sustainable coexistence

We work with farmers, not against them. Our aim is to find practical solutions that protect both your interests and the welfare of your local badgers.