Badger: trend in numbers
The badger was the first species to have a protection plan. Despite various threats, its numbers are rising.
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Trends
Between 1960 and 1980 badger numbers fell by about a third (Wiertz & Vink, 1983). The reason this cannot be seen from the graph is that the number of sets in 1960 is an underestimate. The number of areas with badgers has been increasing since 1980. The increase between 1990-1995 largely took place in central and southern Limburg and in the Reest valley, particularly in areas where the badger used to occur previously. By contrast, between 1990 and 1995 the badger declined in Montferland and the Veluwezoom.
The census in 2000 revealed that the increase in the area of distribution was continuing. Most badger sets are in south Limburg, around Nijmegen and in the Veluwe. The badger digs sets in hills and slopes and because it forages in grassland, arable fields and orchards it needs a varied landscape in which woodland alternates with farmland.
Causes
The badger was persecuted and poached until far into the 20th century. In the 1960s it was beset by new hazards. Roads with heavy traffic became formidable barriers and fragmented the badger habitats. Road traffic is a major cause of badger death.
Since the species protection plan was introduced in 1984, various measures have been taken to restore badger populations. Individuals have been reintroduced in areas from which the species had disappeared, badger tunnels have been constructed so that badgers can cross roads safely, and habitats have been linked. However, barriers remain between some areas, and over half of the badger tunnels have been poorly constructed or are in need of repair (Natuurbalans 2002). As a result, one of the aims of the species protection plan - the linking of all badger habitats - has not been achieved.
