The badger is a nocturnal animal. Rarely seen foraging in the garden. But his legacies are obvious. You can identify badger droppings by these four characteristics.
In a nutshell
- Storage in dug latrines, not covered with earth
- sausage-like, rough surface
- light gray to blackish, soft to dry
- contains visible food remains
- unpleasant, acrid odor
Table of contents
- placement
- color and shape
- composition
- Odor
- frequently asked Questions
placement
Source: DEFI Ecologique, Crottoire de Blaireau, Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Badgers, zoologically Meles, do not cover their droppings with earth, such as cats. It lies open, visible to anyone who looks there. But as the picture shows, there is a special feature: they purposefully dig shallow, elongated depressions, so-called latrines, to deposit their droppings. These are usually in protected areas of the property, for example under fruit-trees or berry bushes or under a patio.
A notice: If the latrine is on a raised spot, it could also be a communal droppings area raccoons act.
color and shape
Color is not a unique identifier. Because depending on what food the badger has eaten, it can vary greatly between light gray and almost black. This also applies to the consistency, which can be dry to very soft. The picture shows the typical features of the form:
- cylindrical
- sausage-like
- rough surface
- larger piles of feces
Tip: Are the ends conspicuously pointed? Then it is very likely fox droppings.
composition
If the droppings are not very firm, different food residues can be clearly seen, as can be seen in the picture. Since a badger’s diet is varied, these can include:
- fur hair
- feathers
- bone pieces
- cores
- insect parts
- eggshells
Odor
The smell of a badger droppings cannot be "oversmelled" because it is very intense. Unfortunately, it is also very unpleasant, even biting. If the latrine is close to the house, the stench can penetrate into the interior of the house.
A notice: Be sure to wear gloves when removing the droppings.
frequently asked Questions
Badger droppings can contain harmful germs. Since the faeces are left openly accessible, there is a particularly high risk that people or pets will accidentally come into contact with them and contract an infectious disease.
Because the badger droppings can be contaminated with germs, it is essential to pay attention to hygiene. How dog poop should it be picked up with a bag. This must then be closed well and disposed of in the residual waste. Wild animal droppings should never end up on the compost heap or in the compost bin.
If you don't look closely, it can easily be confused with dog, fox, raccoon or raccoon dog droppings. In order to be able to clearly assign the excrement found to a badger, you should definitely use all or, if possible, several characteristics.
The badger can be driven out of the garden with gentle means, for example with noise. Sometimes a loud wind chime is enough. Deprive him of possible food sources. Cover compost heaps and bins, collect windfall up promptly.
