How rare is it to see a badger?

bobbysands81

I’ve never seen a live badger so are there any good places in Dublin/Wicklow/Wexford where it might be possible to see them?

Unfortunately at this time of the year there are plenty of them at the side of the road having been knocked down.

bb12

i've seen them out rummaging around fields at night time. however i pity them when the clock goes forward in a few weeks. screws them up time wise as they try to keep away from humans and a lot get killed on the roads at the end of march as the cars are out an hour earlier.

emo72

Rare enough I'd say. I've seen one once galloping away from me. Wouldn't blame him in fairness. And I'm always on the look out for them where I walk, so no, rare enough site.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

They are common and widespread. Seeing them is simple if you a) know where to look and b) go at the right time.

bobbysands81

Camille Weak Smile wrote: »

They are common and widespread. Seeing them is simple if you a) know where to look and b) go at the right time.

Any tips?

Alun

I've never seen one in a typical woodland setting, but then I've probably not been in the right place / time for that either. Would love to be in a position to observe a sett when they're active around it (at dusk?) though.

The only times I've ever seen them have been in open uplands, once in Wicklow and once in the Mournes. They were fairly skinny, rough looking examples, not at all what I envisaged them to look like. I've also come across badger setts in places in the hills in Ireland where I was surprised they'd be able to eke out even the slimmest existence in terms of food supply.

riffmongous

Only ever saw one once, as a young child, frightened the life out of me

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

bobbysands81 wrote: »

Any tips?

If there's no local nature group, ask landowners. Many farmers are aware of setts on their land and will give permission to go have a look. Get there an hour before dusk, keep concealed and down wind from the sett, and wait it out - check it out in day light beforehand.

Apiarist

I have seen one live last year in Wicklow. And seen several roadkills which looked like badgers.

IrishLad90

I've never actually seen one in the wild, apparently there vicious?
More likely to see a fox or Pine Martin

hairyprincess

I saw three together about three years ago on the country lane where I used to live. Typically I couldn’t get the phone out of my pocket quick enough to take a picture, I was driving at the time. Regularly see them as roadkill though.

floatwinner

I have a camera set up in our garden. This clip was captured last September.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Aw1cPusuPQopVvur6

bobbysands81

IrishLad90 wrote: »

I've never actually seen one in the wild, apparently there vicious?
More likely to see a fox or Pine Martin

I’ve seen a Pine Martin leaving my garden in Wexford.

See foxes all the time in Dublin.

bobbysands81

floatwinner wrote: »

I have a camera set up in our garden. This clip was captured last September.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Aw1cPusuPQopVvur6

That’s fantastic.

How much did the camera cost? Would love to do that.

thelawman

floatwinner wrote: »

I have a camera set up in our garden. This clip was captured last September.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Aw1cPusuPQopVvur6

Very impressive,

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

IrishLad90 wrote: »

I've never actually seen one in the wild, apparently there vicious?
More likely to see a fox or Pine Martin

No, they are most certainly not vicious.

harr

floatwinner wrote: »

I have a camera set up in our garden. This clip was captured last September.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Aw1cPusuPQopVvur6

Was about to suggest a camera .... we had a trail camera set up at bottom of garden and left out food and we got fox’s , badgers and hedgehogs.
Google what a badgers set looks like and keep an eye out on your walks for similar...then you will have to keep an eye out at right time of day.
I have only seen two alive in the flesh...

riffmongous

riffmongous wrote: »

Only ever saw one once, as a young child, frightened the life out of me

Oh wait, actually I saw one last year too! In the city (Vienna) outskirts no less. Saw it first from behind and thought it was a big bushy cat

Bandana boy

I saw one once on my Grannys farm , just before dusk it wandered across the lane in front of her house in rural galway .
was surprised how big it was

Peter T

Saw one in broad daylight a few weeks ago on a friends farm. His family members said they had seen it the night before near the road and suspected it got clipped by a car. They couldn't find it when they were looking the next morning, later in the day I was down a separate part of the yard and there it was sitting on the hedge above me. After a few trips over and back of us looking at it the badger moved on to somewhere quieter as it was gone when I returned later. First time in my life I've seen one alive and stood only a few meters away

vandriver

I saw one about 7.30 one summers evening on Terenure Rd West in Dublin.

Keplar240B

bb12 wrote: »

i've seen them out rummaging around fields at night time. however i pity them when the clock goes forward in a few weeks. screws them up time wise as they try to keep away from humans and a lot get killed on the roads at the end of march as the cars are out an hour earlier.

Did the EU change that,,, so clocks won't change anymore?

gzoladz

I have been looking for one too...some users kindly invited me to some places but mainly away from where I live so I will take them up on the offer when I am in their area.

A friend got one in her garden near town and the badger had to get rescue as he could not get out. He got great views.

whelzer

I see them regularly enough in the phoenix park, best was summer 2017 - at dusk, a whole family scuttled past me and ran alongside the fence of the zoo for 20-30 meters before going into the zoo. I was (am still!) gobsmacked...

Eddie B

bb12 wrote: »

i've seen them out rummaging around fields at night time. however i pity them when the clock goes forward in a few weeks. screws them up time wise as they try to keep away from humans and a lot get killed on the roads at the end of march as the cars are out an hour earlier.

Keplar240B wrote: »

Did the EU change that,,, so clocks won't change anymore?

I don't believe the clocks changing has anything to do with badgers being killed on the road.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Eddie B wrote: »

I don't believe the clocks changing has anything to do with badgers being killed on the road.

Absolutely. Peak road deaths for Badgers is late spring and early summer. This is when they have cubs and travel further for food, which involves crossing roads.

Eddie B

Camille Weak Smile wrote: »

Absolutely. Peak road deaths for Badgers is late spring and early summer. This is when they have cubs and travel further for food, which involves crossing roads.

Yes true. But what has that got to do with changing of the clocks?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Eddie B wrote: »

Yes true. But what has that got to do with changing of the clocks?

Nothing. I was agreeing with you and stating the cause - which is not clocks changing.

Eddie B

Camille Weak Smile wrote: »

Nothing. I was agreeing with you and stating the cause - which is not clocks changing.

Apologies, read your post wrong.

Esel

Eddie B wrote: »

Yes true. But what has that got to do with changing of the clocks?

As the badgers don't change their 'clock', traffic volume around dawn/dusk will be different after we change. This could affect the number of road deaths.

realitykeeper

bobbysands81 wrote: »

I’ve never seen a live badger so are there any good places in Dublin/Wicklow/Wexford where it might be possible to see them?

Unfortunately at this time of the year there are plenty of them at the side of the road having been knocked down.

About 30 years ago, I used to see them quite frequently at night. They would come and eat food from the cats dish outside the kitchen window. Haven`t seen them sinse.

Esel

realitykeeper wrote: »

About 30 years ago, I used to see them quite frequently at night. They would come and eat food from the cats dish outside the kitchen window. Haven`t seen them sinse.

They have seen you though. Just sayin'.

Eddie B

Esel wrote: »

As the badgers don't change their 'clock', traffic volume around dawn/dusk will be different after we change. This could affect the number of road deaths.

It wouldn't make that much of a difference to see an actual rise in road casualties. Srameen has already given a good explanation to why there are more Badgers killed on the roads this time of year.

c.p.w.g.w

Had a pleasure of watching a set in county Limerick last year on some scouting Ireland land, early morning.

Genuinely the most majestic creatures

Eddie B

I know a particular location which a came upon by chance. Was out fishing one day in a real off the beaten track, where I seldom see another fisherman, and I sort of have the river to myself. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever met another person in all the times I've fished there. Anyway, one morning whilst sitting quietly, as you do, out pops a badger from a set on the far bank of the river. First time I've ever seen one in daylight. Watched him for best part of twenty minutes.

Since then, I've seen badgers during the daylight in the same location, a couple more times, over a number of years, but never anywhere else. Why this particular location, i dont know.

Pretzill

We have them in the Garden (lots of forestry, wild land around) and have captured them on trail Cam - one used to come right up to the house - they bolt if they hear the dogs barking - they are fast! We had the same one for years and he was looking a bit beat up and gnarly (haven't seen him this year at all )

theteal

Funny I saw this thread as I saw my first "in the wild" one last week. It was in the neighbour's front garden directly across facing ours. She does leave food out the front for her cats so it's not uncommon to see one of the local foxes having a munch but I was taken aback to see this black/white striped "fox" - took a second to twig what it was. He had a good look at me while I stood there but he sprinted off a soon as I made a move. Now where we are is a small Essex town surrounded by countryside but I'd say we're the guts of a mile (in the middle of housing estate) from said countryside so I'm not sure how frequently I may see my new friend.

Henry Ford III

I saw one in Thomond Park last night.

Seve OB

Back in the 90s we had one living in our garden in Shankill.
We were right beside Dart line so it may have lived in the ditch there, hell there could have been a few of them but Ö only remember seeing one. During the nights we used to hear it rummaging around looking for food I guess (before wheelie bins) we just used to have black sacks in the yard waiting for the binmen every Tuesday. Period of time where I used to be the delegate to have to clean up after the badger

I remember one morning instead of telling me to clean up the bins, my old man asked me to go out to the garden and get his shoe. ???? What???? Turns out he heard badger at the bins during the night, so he focked his shoe out the window to chase it away

Seve OB

IrishLad90 wrote: »

I've never actually seen one in the wild, apparently there vicious?
More likely to see a fox or Pine Martin

Apparently if they bite you they will not let go, kinda lock jaw. They wait to hear a snap of breaking bone. You are supposed to snap a branch or twig to get them to release. Apparently anyway.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Seve OB wrote: »

Apparently if they bite you they will not let go, kinda lock jaw. They wait to hear a snap of breaking bone. You are supposed to snap a branch or twig to get them to release. Apparently anyway.

Urban myth.

c.p.w.g.w

Seve OB wrote: »

Apparently if they bite you they will not let go, kinda lock jaw. They wait to hear a snap of breaking bone. You are supposed to snap a branch or twig to get them to release. Apparently anyway.

Though that was Beaver's

AndrewJRenko

whelzer wrote: »

I see them regularly enough in the phoenix park, best was summer 2017 - at dusk, a whole family scuttled past me and ran alongside the fence of the zoo for 20-30 meters before going into the zoo. I was (am still!) gobsmacked...

Fair play to them. It's bloody expensive to bring the family to the zoo these days.

New Home

They probably had a staff pass. :pac:

I saw quite a few dead ones along various roads in the West (I even got out of the car to see if some of them were still alive ), but I'll never forget the one time I was driving along a boreen at dusk and a big fat one crossed the road. It made me very happy.

zapitastas

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

Though that was Beaver's

No I think it is red haired children that do that

As for Badgers, the male can get thrown out when old and that is when they can become a little cranky and when you are likely to find them living close to humans and even visible during the day

Widdershins

I've heard they are common enough but I've never seen a live bader . Clare's a badger-baiting tourism hotspot , apparently , so maybe that's why.

I've been told there's a set or a number of them in an oakwood I know. I'm dying to sleep there overnight and see if I can see them . Next best thing to foxes and hares.

hope it's ok to post this for the other badger lovers.

Poll Dubh

Widdershins wrote: »

I've heard they are common enough but I've never seen a live bader . Clare's a badger-baiting tourism hotspot , apparently , so maybe that's why.

The main killer of badgers is the Dept. of Agriculture. The Dept. kills them to stop the spread of TB which could also be achieved by vaccinating cattle. We'd see a lot more badgers otherwise.

fryup

has it ever been proven that badger's urine contains TB?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

fryup wrote: »

has it ever been proven that badger's urine contains TB?

some studies suggest infected faeces and urine in pasture carries TB.

AndrewJRenko

Widdershins wrote: »

hope it's ok to post this for the other badger lovers.

I saw an Irish one once, in a garden near Herbert Park, but it was closer to the US photo than the European one - definitely more brown than black.

Danzy

Common enough,

Look for paths about a foot wide, bit less, setts in sloped areas in wooded area.

Best chance is late evening on summer evening, seeing the young at play.

Staying up all night is your only chance otherwise.