Badgers 'suffer' in dry spell as badgers eat earthworms

16th April 2003 - BBC News

Low rainfall in the last month has made food scarce for the creatures, says the Mid Derbyshire Badger Group.

Badgers eat almost anything, but their staple diet is earthworms.

Worms have become harder to find due to the dry spell, which has coincided with the birth of new badger cubs.

The badger group has recently had two reports of dead cubs in the county.

Although cubs do have a high mortality rate, the group believes the deaths may be linked to a food shortage.

The group says the full consequences of the weather on badgers will only be known at the end of April, when cubs first leave their parents' sets.

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/derbyshire/2952073.stm