Preserving the natural wildlife and relocating an active badger sett at our Stanton Cross, Wellingborough site was all in a day’s work for the ECL team.
The new artificial sett was positioned in retained green space, where wildlife could thrive.
Martin Tebbs, ECL’s excavator operator, assisted the environment contractors by preparing the ground before helping lay down the nesting chambers and connecting each with plastic pipes to form a tunnelling system. Interestingly, some tunnels were created with dead ends to provide opportunities for sett expansion. One wonders what their courting rituals are.
The artificial set was finally covered in a steel mesh to deter illegal digging and then with recycled soil from the project.
The completed set comprised twelve chambers and twelve entrance holes.
Natural spoil heaps using some of the soil from the original sett were formed just outside each entrance hole to entice the badgers into their new abode.
Soil from the original set was then used to make a trail to the new set, adding nuts and honey so the badgers would follow the path and finally settle into their new home.
We are pleased to announce that badgers have been observed using the new sett and have successfully relocated.
