Bovine TB: Research project summary
Project ZF0531: Ecological consequences of removing badgers from an ecosystem.
Project duration: 8 years, 2 months.
This project aimed to assess the consequences of removing badgers from an ecosystem using information collected as part of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial. Significantly increased fox populations were observed in the first three years of the badger cull, but the last two years saw this population stabilise while badger numbers continue to be depressed. There was no evidence that this increase was due to reduced competition for shared food resources. Foxes are the hare’s main predator and hare densities were found to decline in proactively culled areas, however, this decline was not statistically significant and further analysis is required to determine if there is any relationship between fox and hare numbers. Hedgehog numbers more than doubled during the culling period and continued to increase over the last year, suggesting that badger predation could limit hedgehog numbers. Rabbit populations varied throughout the study, and while skylark and meadow pipit numbers declined, it is impossible to say what the reason for this reduction might be. Previously reported work with artificial nest experiments showed poor survival of nests when livestock were present; current analysis of wider data sets in England and Wales has now supported this finding.
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July 7, 2008