Living alongside badgers can be both fascinating and challenging, depending on your point of view.
Here we offer some advice on how to live in harmony with your badger neighbours, or for those who are no keen on them, some steps to take to avoid neighbourhood conflict.
Every case is different, so if you do not find the answer to your questions, please e-mail us and we will try help.
Please also note that it is an offence to interfer with or destroy a Badger sett. So if you have a Badger Sett, please e-mail and we will advise you on your options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there a Badger in my garden?
It is quite common for badgers to end up in people’s gardens, particularly in March and September when they disperse. Badgers are present in many of our cities, with populations in Cork city and Dublin 3 and 4.
You can usually confirm their presence from the ‘snuffle’ holes they leave on lawns, while digging for worms and grubs. Sometimes these are just nightly visits, but other times the badger may take up temporary residence under a shed or hedgerow.
However, don’t worry; your safety is not at risk and if there is a badger under your shed, it will very likely not stay there for long.
There’s a Badger under my Shed, Is it Safe?
It is a myth that if a badger bites your leg, it will not let go until it hears the bone break. If you accidentally come close to a Badger, it will most likely try to run away from you. Only if you pursue it or corner it, will it hiss and vocalise that it is unhappy with your presence.
Urban Badgers have a much lower prevalance of TB than rural badgers. It would be extraordinarily unlikely for you to contract TB from an infected Badger in your garden.
If a Badger has taken up temporary residence in your garden and you have a dog, then it is wise to keep the dog indoors or away from the area, until the Badger moves on.
Can I keep Badgers Out of my Garden?
It can be difficult to deter Badgers from visiting your garden because they are very determined animals and are exceptional diggers. To prevent badgers from digging under fences requires fencing to extend half a metre underground and this is difficult and expensive.
A temporary alternative is to lay large paving slabs in front of the fencing, extending far enough back to deter the Badgers.
You may be inadvertently incouraging the badgers by leaving out the likes of cat food overnight.
Every case is different so if you cannot find a solution, please contact us and we will try to help you resolve the issue.
