Good news – badgers are alive and well

Following concerns raised by Broomhill resident Helen Lindsay about possible poisoning of badgers on a field earmarked for a housing development, the chairman of the Norfolk Badgers Trust inspected the site off Park Lane on Thursday 1 August.
 

The badger sett in April before the field was sprayed with herbicide. Photo: submitted

 
Having been notified by local naturalists Brenda and John Palmer about possible poisoning of the badgers, Robin Hawes reported: “Good news about the sett at Reepham. It is covered with nettles and thistles, but I investigated fairly well.
 
“It is still active – fresh digging, paw prints, bedding, all visible holes clean and open, and more holes inaccessible in the hedgerow.
 
“The adjacent field, which was sprayed with some kind of herbicide, now shows little sign of it.
 
“It is a very dry and sandy field, still covered in ‘weeds’. Behind the sett there is wheat, and the land there slopes down towards damp, wetland areas, like the two Whitwell setts.
 
“No doubt Brenda, John and Helen will keep a watch on the area. The badgers are very unlikely to use the field for foraging as it is so dry, but it was obvious that they are still there and active.”
 
Mrs Palmer said it is difficult to understand why the field was sprayed since the proposed housing development does not appear to be in progress at present.
 
“However, we do intend to keep an eye on the area as it is illegal to disturb or interfere with an active, occupied badger sett,” she said.
 
See our earlier story:

 

Active badger sett on Marriott’s Way. Photo: submitted

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