Badgers and gardens

Many people are delighted and welcome badgers when they visit their garden, but on occasions, lawns and plants can be damaged to the disappointment and annoyance of the gardener.

Badgers and their homes (setts) are protected by law, but there are lawful actions that can be taken to resolve, or at least minimise the problems.

Why do badgers visit gardens?

Usually, badgers visit gardens in search of food. They are creatures of habit, living in a social group or family which occupies a territory. This territory will probably include your garden, and depending on where you live, could include many of your neighbours' gardens or surrounding fields if you live in the country. The size of territories can vary considerably.

Badgers are normally nocturnal, so garden visits are generally unseen, unless the sett is nearby when the animals may visit early in the evening. Badgers tend to follow the same routes when they are moving around their territory, so the entry point into your garden should be easy to find.

On occasions an injured or sick badger may seek refuge in a garden and hide away in an outbuilding or under a shed. If this happens, seek expert help immediately. Likewise, if badgers start to excavate a sett in your garden, seek immediate advice.

What do they eat in my garden?

Badgers are omnivorous and will eat many things. Most of the time they search for earthworms and insect larvae, but they will also eat flower bulbs, fruit and vegetables. They are often attracted to food put out for birds, especially peanuts. The most obvious sign of badgers feeding is when they dig small pits in lawns to remove food such as cockchafer, cutworm and cranefly larvae.

Will putting out badger food help?

In dry or frosty weather, badgers are unable to get at their normal earthworm and insect larvae food. Putting out food and water at these times specifically for the badgers may distract them from the other food available like your fruit and vegetables. They will readily eat peanuts, most soft fruits, bread with honey/jam/treacle and meat scraps. However, food placement may encourage the badgers to visit more frequently, which could make matters worse if they are causing a nuisance, or may increase the potential for nuisance.

How can I deter badgers from my garden?

It is recommended that you always seek advice before considering any action. Your local badger group has lots of experience of dealing with badger problems in gardens and will provide free advice.

The legislation in place to protect badgers and their setts needs to be clearly understood to avoid illegal but well-intentioned action. You could for example simply block a badger access to your garden, but if this prevented a badger from getting to or from its sett, it could be an offence.

Generally there are several actions which could be considered:

Physical barriers

It is possible to construct a fence that will deter badger entry. Badgers are strong and persistent animals that can easily break through or dig under a weak or poorly constructed fence. They can climb, and will squeeze through quite small gaps.

A strong wood fence with chainlink type fencing attached and extended below ground level or a chainlink type fence with the bottom edge extended and buried is recommended. There is a specific design with minimum dimensions available on request. An alternative is a stone or brick wall with a suitable foundation.

Electric fencing, either battery or transformed mains supplied can be an effective deterrent. Such fencing needs to be installed with wires at the appropriate height and will require periodic maintenance, but it can be fitted unobtrusively. Again, specific details are available on request.

Chemical deterrents

There are NO approved chemical deterrents available for use with badgers.

There are claims that male human urine, human hair clippings and even lion dung spread on the garden may act as a deterrent, but none of these are recommended!

Ultrasonic devices

These emit a fixed or variable signal which is inaudible to humans. There are reports that some have proved effective as badger deterrents in certain circumstances, but none known currently is specifically recommended for use with badgers.