Population density and scent marking by badgers
Journal
Mammalian Biology,
Volume 67, Number 5, 1 September 2002, pp. 286-293(8) -
Urban & Fischer
Authors
Hutchings M.R.; Service K.M.; Harris S.
Abstract
Scent marking is an important form of communication in
badgers. The majority of studies describing faecal and urine scent
marking behaviour of badgers have been undertaken in areas of high
population density and have concentrated on the use of latrines, where
large quantities of faeces and urine accumulate in highly localized
areas. However, recent studies suggest that at low population densities,
badgers distribute their faecal and urine scent marks in a more
dispersed pattern. Here we compare the scent marking behaviour of
badgers across a range of population densities in Britain. Badgers
placed greater proportions of faeces and urine at latrines with
increasing population density, a change consistent with a shift from
hinterland to boundary marking. We propose that previous descriptions of
badger scent marking behaviour in Britain represent points along a
continuum. The implications of the correlations between badger
population density and scent marking are discussed in relation to the
potential for transmission of bovine tuberculosis from badger excreta to cattle.
Keywords
Badgers; scent marking; population density
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