Supporting native species
As part of the Species Survival Fund project, we were able to facilitate the build of an artificial badger sett in South East Sheffield.
South Yorkshire Badger Group contributed funds towards and advised on the build and location of the sett. The work was ably carried out by Wildscapes, Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust’s environmental consultancy.
We look forward to the sett becoming naturally occupied or used as a release sett for rehabilitated badgers in the future.
Find out more about this amazing species
Badgers are a native British species that live in woodlands, farmland, towns and gardens. Badgers are omnivores, which means they will eat a wide range of food. Around 80% of a badger’s diet is made up of earthworms – they can eat hundreds of them in a single night! They also eat slugs, other invertebrates and fruit such as pears, apples, plums and elderberries.
Badgers live in social groups, typically made up of around four to seven individuals. The species lives in a network of underground burrows and tunnels know as a sett. Each badger territory will include a main sett and several smaller outlying setts.
Threats and conservation
Historical persecution means badgers are now fully protected by law. The Protection of Badgers Act 1992, makes it illegal to kill, injure, or take badgers, or to interfere with their setts. This has helped the UK population to grow, roughly doubling since the 1980s. However, many badgers are killed by cars and illegal persecution does still occur.
This project is funded by the Government’s Species Survival Fund and other partner funding. The fund was developed by Defra and its Arm’s-Length Bodies. It is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England and the Environment Agency. A whole programme of activity across the Valley will create, restore and enhance habitats to support and protect the species living here and encourage new ones to thrive.
Shire Brook Valley Nature Reserve 