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Astonishing First: Badger Birth Filmed in Natural Habitat
22 Mar
Summary
- Wildlife cameras recorded a badger giving birth in its natural habitat.
- The event, potentially a world first, was captured at a private wildlife site.
- The mother badger gave birth to three cubs but abandoned one.
Wildlife expert Kate MacRae may have achieved a world first by capturing video of a badger giving birth in its natural habitat. At Yew View, a private wildlife haven in Worcestershire, MacRae installed numerous cameras to document animal activity.
After two years, badgers began using an artificial sett she constructed. In 2022, a female badger gave birth to three cubs within this sett. The event, which occurred in the wild, was filmed extensively from the cubs' birth until they were taken to a main sett. This footage was featured on BBC Springwatch.
MacRae's work at Yew View has also involved observing other wildlife, including tawny owls and a sparrowhawk catching a bat. The site has witnessed both life and death, with one instance of an old badger dying and being buried by other badgers within a sett.
