Badgers encroach on cities

Badgers in urban areas were previously considered a relic of urban expansion: the badgers had already been there when the regions were still rural, and stayed as the settlement grew around them. That is why they were mainly found on the outskirts of cities. However, a new study by the research group Swild shows that badgers are apparently venturing increasingly into city centres.

Researchers led by Fabio Bontadina from the research institute WSL analysed data from camera traps in Zurich and St. Gallen, records of badgers killed in road traffic across Switzerland, and observations in Zurich gathered through a citizen science project. The findings indicate that the badger population in Switzerland appears to be growing overall, and that their presence is increasingly extending into urban areas.

More and more animals in the city

The number of badgers killed by traffic in Switzerland more than doubled between 1992 and 2015, the researchers write in the journal «Hystrix». Analysis of the camera trap data showed that in Zurich, animals appeared in front of the lens more than three times as often in 2014 as in 1997. In St. Gallen, the number tripled between 2008 and 2016.

Over the past ten years, badgers have also been directly observed more frequently in the central areas of Zurich. According to the study, in the 1990s sightings were limited to the urban fringe areas close to woodland.

It thus appears that badgers are also becoming established in urban spaces, much as foxes did before them. The latter seem to have recovered considerably more quickly from a rabies epidemic among wildlife between 1967 and 1996, and consequently had a head start in colonising cities. The researchers suspect that the delayed arrival of badgers may be due to their longer generation time and less flexible behaviour.

Bad news for hedgehogs

Scientists view the trend toward more urban badgers with mixed feelings: on the one hand, wild animals in the city may spark greater interest in nature among residents — an important prerequisite for species conservation efforts. On the other hand, their habit of digging burrows could cause damage and lead to conflict. In addition, the animals could harbor pathogens.

For urban hedgehogs, which are among the prey of badgers, the increased presence of badgers in cities is also unwelcome news, according to the scientists — especially since the observed trend, although focused on Zurich, likely reflects a broader, Europe-wide development in badger populations.