NatureScot Research Report 1345 - Investigating the role of badgers (Meles meles) in lamb predation on Scottish farms 2022-23.
Abstract
This report provides an update on the investigation into suspected predation of lambs by badgers in Scotland. It summarizes the findings from a large-scale survey by Ipsos MORI, a follow-up survey by the National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS), and a subsequent study conducted by SASA in partnership with NatureScot, NFUS, and Scottish Land and Estates. The study used gross pathology and molecular methods to determine the cause of death and the species responsible for predation or scavenging on 27 Scottish farms. Key findings indicate that while badgers were suspected in many cases, badger DNA was only detected on 5% of lamb remains, with no evidence on carcasses submitted for post-mortem. Conversely, fox DNA was present on 87% of dead or injured lambs, including all cases exhibiting evidence of predation. The report suggests that the presence and density of badgers may lead to their suspicion, but the results strongly implicate foxes as the primary predators. The report recommends that livestock managers review their fox control regimes to prevent future losses.