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Post by Andyberg on Mar 8, 2018 14:51:44 GMT
On my way over the top late last night / early this morning to a job in Eskdale, Cumbria I saw 3 dead badgers by the road side at various places along about a 8 mile stretch of exposed country road.
I've been driving all over Britain for over 30 years now, sometimes up to 25000 miles a year, I've seen maybe a dozen badgers at night but I've never come near to actually hitting one. They don't seem to bolt across the road like cats, rabbits or squirrels but the roads in Cumbria last night were like a badger graveyard.😔 I wonder if it's due to weather conditions ( cold n slushy last night) or if they are being killed and thrown on the roadside to look like accidents by farmers etc?
Anyone have any thoughts on this or indeed have you ever hit a badger or similar nocturnal creature whilst driving?
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Post by lollygagger on Mar 8, 2018 15:01:02 GMT
Badger baiting gypos. Over 5 years driving same route every day, around 4 or five times there would be 3 or 4 spread over a mile. I reckon they save them up until they have a few then make an evening of it.
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Post by Mr Stabby on Mar 8, 2018 15:01:33 GMT
I have hit a couple of foxes but I recall that about 8-10 years ago there was an epidemic of roadkill badgers. I don't know what the reason for the increase was, possibly something as simple as an increase in numbers.
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Post by Andyberg on Mar 8, 2018 15:04:24 GMT
I did wonder if Eskdale happened to be a badger baiting hotspot or whether it was part of some country folk run cull of them? It seemed odd as the stretch of road over the top had very little traffic on it, I didn't see another vehicle when I was coming or going over it so it would be an amazing coincidence for 3 to be killed by cars!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2018 15:09:07 GMT
Eskdale - quite likely to be farmers rather than gypo's. Badger free farming zone here unless you count the dead ones on the main road...
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Post by Stumpy on Mar 8, 2018 15:11:44 GMT
I wonder if it's due to weather conditions ( cold n slushy last night) or if they are being killed and thrown on the roadside to look like accidents by farmers etc? I think you've hit the nail on the head. How come you never see a dead badger in the middle of the road. They seem to have a strange inclination after getting splatted, to crawl to the side of the road. I'll put my money on local farmers / gamekeepers / hedgehog munchers
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Post by Andyberg on Mar 8, 2018 15:12:34 GMT
Eskdale - quite likely to be farmers rather than gypo's. Badger free farming zone here. Is that due to the risk of TB from badgers? I wasn't aware of rampant packs of wild badgers dragging off lambs or calves to the slaughter or causing mayhem to crops so why are they so hated by farmers?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2018 15:28:13 GMT
Eskdale - quite likely to be farmers rather than gypo's. Badger free farming zone here. Is that due to the risk of TB from badgers? I wasn't aware of rampant packs of wild badgers dragging off lambs or calves to the slaughter or anything or causing mayhem to crops?? Yes TB is the risk. I don't know for certain about the farmers being responsible but even some farmers I speak about badgers will quietly say that is because of X or Y killing them, and I think it is all based upon suspicion rather than actual knowledge. TB in cattle costs a farmer many thousands along with the stress of how the farm will cope etc.
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Post by lollygagger on Mar 8, 2018 15:55:35 GMT
I did wonder if Eskdale happened to be a badger baiting hotspot or whether it was part of some country folk run cull of them? It seemed odd as the stretch of road over the top had very little traffic on it, I didn't see another vehicle when I was coming or going over it so it would be an amazing coincidence for 3 to be killed by cars! Where I regularly saw them was 100% crops, on a lightly used but mainish road with good visibility to see if any other cars coming and within a couple of miles of two gypo camps. There were never less than 3, always in the gutter, all appearing together overnight. Elsewhere it'll be dairy farmers but where there's no dairy...
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Post by naughtyfox on Mar 8, 2018 16:00:09 GMT
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Post by naughtyfox on Mar 8, 2018 16:10:36 GMT
ESKDALE, CUMBRIA
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Post by naughtyfox on Mar 8, 2018 16:16:40 GMT
I've read many articles in Private Eye about badgers carrying tuberculosis and there seems to be no evidence whatsoever. Humans just like killing harmless animals for the sake of it, some claiming that "foxes enjoy the hunt and being ripped limb from limb by a pack of vicious dogs".
Farmers will do anything to collect their subsidies.
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Post by Andyberg on Mar 8, 2018 16:28:37 GMT
Im led to believe badgers are almost deaf and have really poor eyesight so reaction time is crap, they are never phased or startled when I drive past which may well support the idea they are being dug up, killed and left on the road as roadkill. I dunno. I think they are amazing animals and need better protecting.👍
Although we will never stop roadkill, it does make me wonder why we don't see anywhere near as many fox, deer or sheep killed by the kerbside?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2018 16:36:35 GMT
Although we will never stop roadkill, it does make me wonder why we don't see anywhere near as many fox, deer or sheep killed by the kerbside? Around here Fox's are generally ripped to shreds by the pack and little kids anointed with their blood, deer are normally picked up by the following driver, fallen sheep are either picked up by the following driver or the farmer will pick them up to take to the hunt to feed to the pack.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2018 16:40:00 GMT
I've been driving since 1974, and thus far not hit anything.
I've had to take avoiding action to miss the odd pheasant, rabbit, cyclist and car, but never hit anything yet.
How does someone hit an animal as slow moving as a badger, if they are remotely paying attention to their driving?
I was reading recently, that despite the badger cull being increased 4 fold, the incidence of bovine tb is doubling.
The penny is beginning to drop that killing badgers isn't working, and other options are now being considered.
Rog
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