The Actual Number of Badger Deaths in Bristol

 I did a recent post on the Fox Project Bristol and my blog about reported so KNOWN fox deaths and what the actual total might be.

 https://terryhoopernaturalist.blogspot.com/2026/07/182-reported-dead-foxes-total-is-higher.html

 That was scary enough but then I wondered whether statistics could guestimate the actual number  of dead badgers in the City and County of Bristol (yes, for those who did not know Bristol is not just a City). So far we have had 73 reported death so ....

The actual number of badgers killed is likely much higher than 73 . Experts estimate that up to (50,000\) badgers die on UK roads yearly. Studies show that for every dead badger seen and reported 2-3 others often die nearby or off-road from their injuries. Therefore, 73 observed deaths could mean 146  to 219 actually died.

First off it used to be 100,000 then 60,000now 50,000 is the estimate. I do not believe that after the cull took 300,000 badgers that 50,000 are currently dying. The population is so low and even though no longer present in certain areas (due to the cull) that 50,000 each year would mean we have 2-3 years before badgers are extinct.

I have asked Highways England and they do not record what dead animals their teams remove from roads. A simple email reading "Orpington  23 06 2026 badger" (or "fox" could be sent. How long does that take?  But local highway authorities such as Bristol City (Green) Council's Street Clean Team will not even cooperate: they just pick up and send for incineration.

That said, sadly, a total of 146+/- would not surprise me. And remember this is just road deaths not death by rodenticide, snaring or illegal killing by local badger men and badger baiting (yes, that still goes on).

Rather like foxes and the fast decreasing UK population I think it time English badgers were moved onto the Red List as a species facing extinction. 

Injured Badger. Cooperation?

 Last night we had a report of a badger seen dragging its back legs in the Novers Hill area. Sarah Mills has searched the fields but no sign of a sett. I have appealed on Bristol FDoxes and Badgers and here for anyone who knows where a sett is but no responses.

The Novers Hill Community group my posts to have been rejected all day and neither ofd the two moderators have gotten back to me.

THIS is standard Bristol coopperation on wildlife.

The hope is that, being tough creatures, the badger just got knocked and has bruising. The other alternative is that it is lying somewhere injured (likely a garden) or is dead.

Criticise me as being "negative" as much as you want but when it is a major fight to even get a response from one person I doubt my attitude will change.

Groups representing themselves as wanting to become recognised as nature reserves should actually CARE about nature.

Which is more important: money and ego or the wildlife?

 

If people think that this is a stress-free "little hobby"n they ought to try running things, dealing with idiots and supposed badger groups that are spouting dogma and clearly have never studied badgers.

Just saying.

Ridiculous having a certain organisation trying to undermine your group on a weekly basis but this is what wildlife work has become in the UK. Less concern for wildlife and more concern about £££££ and no cooperation.

Apparently People Are Trying To Annoy BBG

 Here is one I received by accident third hand.

072           Wednesday 01 07 2026 (only rteceived report 03 07) dead badger Canford Road, Westbury-on-Trym. Reportee contacted Badger Trust who told them there was no one in Bristol.

Here is a screenshot of the post:

The absolutely galling thing is that the person posting was a member of the Bristol Foxes and Badgers Group where repeated posts have reported on dead badgers and foxes which shows group members do not read posts. 

 The other thing is the Badger Trust who know perfectly well that Bristol Badger Group has covered the area since 1995 told the reportee that there was no one in Bristol.  This is how bad wildlife organisations have become:no membership money to them then you do not exist and 😠 the wildlife.

A Strange Beast

 A "strange animal" was reported and the person had not seen anything like it. They said they would put a camera out to see if it came back. 

I waited with baited breath then came the message "We got it on camera!"

I watched the clip ...it was a badger. Told the peron who replied "I thought that badgers were huge things the size of a labrador?" 

Any... I need to cut back on the bad language.

Number of Badger Setts

 

There are now 62 confirmed badger clan areas in the City and County of Bristol. There are no doubt others but people tend to keep quiet about them. That is good until we get a situation where a sett is under threat and we have to try to protect it with no warning.

Total number of clan setts the BBG has now stopped from being developed on is over 15. Long Ashton Parish Council and Bristol City Council still refuse to respond to the presence of badgers and otters on one of its developments. This is the criminality of local authorities who cherish developers money over conservation and the environment.

Someone asked how BBG can say an area has a badger sett if it only has a report of a badger being seen? Well, unless badgers are teleporting (not had that confirmed yet🫣) a badger has to be living somewhere which by definition would be a sett. We do not draw attention to areas where badgers are seen for very obvious reasons and also if you go entering peoples gardens to check if there is a sett in it you'll either end up withy a copper feeling your collar or punch in the bracket.

The list of "where" badgers are is confidential and neither Avon Wildlife Trust nor BRERC has a copy of the list since they have been downright uncooperative over the last 30 years for reasons I cannot fathom. One other person, who I trust (very, very few of them) will get a copy of the list "in case" mortality catches up with me as there doers need to be a record for conservation and protection purposes.

I ought to point out that there are rumoured to be others but I cannot list those without confirmation and householders want to keep it a secret nothing we can do other than ask that they PLEASE let us know if they have a sett "just in case".;

Bristol City Council and Long Ashton Parish Council and South Gloucestershire Council: "We see no badgers"

 

Added another two sett locations to the ones known which takes know urban and countryside territories to over 60.

Which sounds good until you realise how many are being killed.

It should also be noted that two current sites where established setts and badger activity has been noted are still under threat: one by Bristol City Council and the other by South Gloucestershire Council. Despite the evidence both authorities claim there are no badgers present and neither will respond to correspondence on the matter.

Money and development is far more important to these people than saving/conserving a protected species. Lonmg Ashton Parish Council have repeatedly been informed of badgers and otters as well as other species in an area they cover: six emails, messages via Twitter etc -no responses.