BTC and Natural England have been working in collaboration to relocate a badger sett from under one of the College’s car parks, where a badger sett built under the car park was causing it to collapse.

Using a Natural England approved contractor, a new sett was built and, on completion, bait in the form of peanuts was used to encourage the badgers to relocate.

Trail cameras were used to establish whether the badgers were using the new sett and once they had been filmed in their new environment, areas of the old sett were shut off using one way gates.

Mark Atyeo, Estates Supervisor said,

This has been a complex project which has taken two years to complete. We worked closely with Natural England and approved contractors to ensure the safe relocation of the badgers to a more suitable area. The new sett is 50 metres from their old sett and far safer for our community and the badgers. Watching the badgers using the new sett through the trail cameras was so exciting. It was fascinating to watch them settle into their new environment and has been a very rewarding project.