Twootz and the Badger Conservation Project

Not a typical birding story but illustrates an alternative use for bird food products. I run a wildlife conservation group whose focus is on badger conservation, helping to protect badgers from persecution such as badger baiting.

Picture 1

Part of the group's conservation fieldwork involves establishing where badgers live and what territories they occupy, this is quite a challenge as badgers are shy nocturnal animals.

One method is to use specially prepared food which is left for them, but, hidden within the food are small inert plastic pellets of a chosen colour (Picture 1 & 2).

These food balls are left under stones to prevent non target species such as mice eating the food.

Picture 2

During the night the badger comes along, lifts the stone and eats the food, the harmless pellets pass through the animals gut harmlessly and is deposited in dung pits (badger toilets).

(Picture 3) shows badger poo with traces of the coloured pellets. Albeit not the most attractive task, when examined one can identify which family of badgers had been in a given area.

Badgers are not harmed as a result of this process.

Picture 3

Clearly different families can have food marked with different coloured pellets. Badgers are particularly partial to peanuts & seeds much the same as wild birds. Twootz were kind enough to donate some surplus stock for this project thereby supporting wildlife conservation.

Regards,

Paul Hayward
Badger Conservation Group