Badger Setts are protected under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. It’s an offence to intentionally or recklessly interfere with a badger sett or to knowingly cause or permit a badger sett to be interfered with (Section 3 Protection of Badger Act).
It is also an offence to dig for a badger (Section 2 Protection of Badger Act) or to willfully kill, injure or take a badger, or attempt to do so (Section 1 Protection of Badger Act).
Interference could include:
- Blocking or obstruction of sett entrances i.e. with soil or other debris
- Damage to tunnels or chambers from digging or heavy machinery
- Complete destruction of the sett
- Disturbance of a badger in the sett, even if there’s no damage to the sett itself
If you suspect sett gassing or poisoning, do not touch anything. Do not unblock any blocked sett entrances. Gases and poisons pose a serious threat to life and health.
Signs of possible poisoning or gassing include:
- white floury powder in the sett entrances
- spherical garlic-smelling grey pallets in the entrances
- blocked sett entrance holes
- discarded cannisters or containers
- poison bait e.g. food items filled with drugs / poisons
- dead badgers