§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether there have been any studies into the effects of an increase in the badger population on hedgehog and ground-nesting bird populations; and, if there have been such studies, what have been the conclusions. [HL300]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)Badgers are known to predate on ground nesting birds, although such predation is likely to be largely opportunistic. The impact of badger predation on bird populations has not been specifically quantified, but is not thought significantly to affect populations nationally. Locally, however, the situation may be different.
Bird remains are typically found in about 7.5 per cent of badger dung in the UK, and diet studies confirm that badgers eat eggs, nestlings and adult birds. These studies are unable to distinguish between scavenged and killed birds, and do not quantify the importance of birds in the badger diet.
Defra is currently funding research aimed at providing a scientifically vigorous assessment of the importance of badger predation for ground nesting birds. The project involves a review of current knowledge and intensive field investigations to assess the extent of predation by badgers. The project, which is being undertaken by the Central Science Laboratory, will report its findings in March 2005.
§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
What has been the cost of repairing damage to canal banks caused by badgers for each year since 1997; and what is the estimated cost of repairing recent damage, attributed to badgers, to the bank of the Llangollen Canal. [HL492]
§ Lord WhittyNo records of damage to canal banks by badgers are kept by navigation authorities. British Waterways has advised that repairs to the bank of the Llangollen Canal are likely to be in the region of £500,000. It is probable that the damage was caused by badgers.