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- Title
Managing conflict between humans and wildlife: trends in licensed operations to resolve problems with badgers Meles meles in England.
- Authors
DELAHAY, R. J.; DAVISON, J.; POOLE, D. W.; MATTHEWS, A. J.; WILSON, C. J.; HEYDON, M. J.; ROPER, T. J.
- Abstract
1. Successful wildlife management needs to be underpinned by frequent evaluation of the problems arising and the management techniques used to resolve them. The aims of this review were: (i) to investigate spatial and temporal patterns in the occurrence and characteristics of badger–human conflict in England; and (ii) to determine which factors influence the success of management actions. Licences are required before interfering with badgers or setts, so we carried out analyses of records of applications received by Defra and data from follow-up monitoring of management actions. 2. The number of licence applications rose significantly during the recording period (1994–2004), with an increasing proportion coming from the east of England and from urban, as opposed to rural, areas. Damage problems caused by setts were the most frequent sources of conflict in both urban and rural areas. However, the majority of rural problems related to agricultural land, whereas buildings and gardens were most affected in urban areas. A higher proportion of problems involved outlier setts in urban areas compared with rural areas. 3. The use of one-way gates to exclude badgers from part or all of a problem sett was the commonest management action proposed by Defra Wildlife Advisers, with total sett closure more common in urban, compared with rural, areas. Follow-up monitoring revealed that the success of action varied in relation to the type of sett causing a problem, the type of management action undertaken and the land use (urban or rural) at the problem location, with total closure of an urban main sett being the least successful strategy. This review provides an assessment of current trends in conflict occurrence and will help in the development of management techniques.
- Subjects
ENGLAND; OLD World badger; MELES; CONFLICT management; ENVIRONMENTAL management; WILDLIFE management; WILDLIFE conservation; CITIES &; towns; RURAL geography
- Publication
Mammal Review, 2009, Vol 39, Issue 1, p53
- ISSN
0305-1838
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1365-2907.2008.00135.x