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. 2014 Jan 23:4:3809.
doi: 10.1038/srep03809.

Density and abundance of badger social groups in England and Wales in 2011-2013

Johanna Judge  1 , Gavin J Wilson  1 , Roy Macarthur  2 , Richard J Delahay  1 , Robbie A McDonald  3
Affiliations

Density and abundance of badger social groups in England and Wales in 2011-2013

Johanna Judge et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

In the United Kingdom, European badgers Meles meles are a protected species and an important wildlife reservoir of bovine tuberculosis. We conducted a survey of badger dens (main setts) in 1614 1 km squares across England and Wales, between November 2011 and March 2013. Using main setts as a proxy for badger social groups, the estimated mean density of badger social groups in England and Wales was 0.485 km(-2) (95% confidence interval 0.449-0.521) and the estimated abundance of social groups was 71,600 (66,400-76,900). In the 25 years since the first survey in 1985-88, the annual rate of increase in the estimated number of badger social groups was 2.6% (2.2-2.9%), equating to an 88% (70-105%) increase across England and Wales. In England, we estimate there has been an increase of 103% (83-123%) in badger social groups, while in Wales there has been little change (-25 to +49%).

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Estimates of badger main sett (a) density and (b) abundance in England and Wales and by Land Class Group in three surveys.
Shaded blocks indicate 95% confidence intervals for means. No main setts were identified in LCG 7 in the 2011–13 survey.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Estimates of changes in badger main sett (a) density and (b) abundance in England and Wales and by Land Class Group between 1985–88 and 2011–13.
Shaded blocks indicate 95% confidence intervals for estimates of change. Where these do not overlap the red line, indicating no change, the change is considered statistically significant.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Distribution of the seven Land Class Groups in England and Wales.
Urban areas are not coloured. Map created in ESRI ArcGIS 10.1.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Distribution of surveyed 1 km squares in England and Wales.
Map created in ESRI ArcGIS 10.1.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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