Reproduction success in European badgers, red foxes and raccoon dogs in relation to sett cohabitation

Abstract

The setts of the European badger Meles meles can be cohabited during reproductive season by the red fox Vulpes vulpes and raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides . There is no information on the possible impact of both species on the size of badgers’ litter. The aim of the study was to show the influence of cohabitation of the same setts by badger, raccoon dog and fox on the litter size. The research was conducted in 2012–2014 and 2018 in the lowland forests of western Poland. We conducted the survey of setts by direct observations and analysis of photographic material from trap cameras during mid-April–July each year. We recorded 85 badger litters, 18 fox litters, and 15 raccoon dog litters. Average litter size was 1.71 (±0.90), 2.44 (±1.34) and 4.93 (±2.76) litter mates in badgers, foxes and raccoon dogs, respectively for all observed pairs. Badger litter size did not differ between setts used only by badgers including pairs with no cubs (1.66 ± 0.98) and cohabited with foxes (1.90 ± 0.32) or raccoon dogs (1.88 ± 0.81). However, foxes reared even more cubs in setts cohabited with badgers than when badger was absent (2.90 ± 1.37 vs. 1.88 ± 1.13 respectively). In the case of raccoon dogs, there were no differences in the mean number of their cubs in setts with badgers (5.25 ± 2.92) and without badgers (4.57 ± 2.76). The results indicate that the cohabitation of setts by badgers, foxes and raccoon dogs does not affect litter size negatively.

Long Arm of Motorway—The Impact of Fenced Road on the Mortality of European Badgers

“…In the lowland Poland, the density of badgers is one of the lowest recorded in the literature, ranging from 1.6 individuals/10 km 2 in the Białowieża Forest in the east (Kowalczyk et al 2000) to 3.1 individuals/ 10 km 2 in central part of the country (Goszczyński and Skoczyńska 1996) and 5.9 individuals/10 km 2 in the northeast (Goszczyński 1999). The badger population within the area under presented study is also not very numerous and is characterized by a low number of cubs per litter (Nowakowski et al 2020).…”

“…Specifically, in the UK (Davies et al 1987;Clarke et al 1998), Netherlands (Jaarsma et al 2007;van Langevelde et al 2009;Dekker and Bekker 2010), Denmark (Aaris-Sørensen 1995), Ireland (Sleeman et al 2009;Haigh 2012;Sleeman et al 2012), Czechia (Červinka et al 2015), Lithuania (Balčiauskas et al 2020) and Italy (Valerio et al 2021). The mortality of badgers on roads has also been reported in Poland (Kowalczyk et al 2003;Orłowski and Nowak 2006;Jakubas et al 2018;Nieszała and Klich 2021).…”

A review of bovine tuberculosis transmission risk in European wildlife communities

“…Dens and setts are enclosed, moist spaces which offer an ideal environment for the spread and survival of aerosolized bacilli (Sweeney et al 2007). Since other species, such as red foxes, are known to den in badger setts, the sett itself may be a significant route by which infection is spread between wildlife species (Sidorchuk et al 2015, Coppola et al 2020, Nowakowski et al 2020. Badgers and other species may also utilise the burrows of other animals, such as porcupines, and different species may inhabit a sett or burrow simultaneously (Coppola et al 2020, Nowakowski et al 2020.…”

Badger Meles meles as Ecosystem Engineer and Its Legal Status in Europe

“…Sometimes it becomes prey for other carnivores [ 123 ]. An interesting aspect of interactions with other mammals is the sharing of burrows, e.g., with the raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides , the red fox, Vulpes vulpes , the golden jackal, Canis aureus , the crested porcupine, Hystrix cristata , or the Egyptian mongoose, Herpestes ichneumon [ 18 , 19 , 23 , 25 , 124 , 125 , 126 , 127 ]. Badger setts can also serve as shelter for many other animals.…”