Reintroduction of the Eurasian badger (Meles meles) in a protected area of northern Italy

Abstract

Between 2001 and, with the aim of restoring the natural biodiversity of a protected area, the Eurasian badger (Meles meles) was reintroduced into the Montevecchia and Curone Valley Regional Park (northern Italy), where it had been extirpated by human persecution. The project was combined with the reduction of badger damage on railway tracks allowing at least a pair of badgers per year and to move animals whose translocation would have been anyhow imposed by precautionary measures. Four badger family groups (a total of 12 animals) were trapped and moved to an acclimatisation enclosure located in the middle of the release area. Post-release monitoring was carried out by both radio-tracking and indirect methods. The average group range size (1.58 km 2 ) was similar to reports from favourable districts in Britain, supporting the contention that badgers can thrive in this area. Radio-tracked badgers selected woods, while urban areas and cultivated field were avoided. Although results indicate that the badger has actually established in the Park, with badger field signs currently spread on 40% of the protected area, more monitoring is needed to determine whether it is at sustainable levels or if more translocation should be considered.

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

“…In southern Europe, the species is considered rare, e.g., in some regions of Spain [ 137 ]. In northern Italy, it was almost eradicated and thus species reintroduction has begun [ 138 ]. Reintroduction has also been attempted in the Netherlands [ 139 ].…”

“…Data from the Carpathian Mountains shows that as much as 65% of young badgers are killed annually as a result of hunting [ 43 ]. In northern Italy, the species has virtually disappeared as a result of intensive hunting management [ 138 ]. A similar situation had been reported in Denmark before the badger became a protected species [ 163 ].…”

Verspreiding van de das Meles meles in Vlaanderen recente evoluties

“…De ligging van heel wat oude burchtsites is nog min of meer bekend, en meerdere ervan zijn nog bestaand -inmiddels vaak sinds jaren regelmatig in gebruik door vossen (med. (Mulder 1996 ;Balestrieri et al 2006 ;Van Den Berge 2016 …”

Observations on marking behaviour in a low-density population of European badgers (Meles meles)

“…Herein, we examined the distribution and pattern of use of latrines in relation to space-use by a badger social group in the River Po plain (NW Italy), where badgers live at low density, group size and mean sett density being, respectively, one adult male and one to three adult females plus the cubs of the year and 0.21 setts/km 2 (Remonti et al 2006a, b;Balestrieri et al 2006). Specifically, we aimed to (1) assess the distribution of latrines with respect to the shape and boundaries of the group's home range and core area and (2) the temporal pattern of latrine use in relation to the seasonal variation of the ecological requirements (food, shelter, reproduction) of badgers.…”