The use of pasture by the European badger (Meles meles).
Abstract
The earthworm Lumbricus terrestris was the predominant food of the European badger; in the badger's habitat, L. terrestris was most abundant under pasture. Badgers caught worms on the surface at night; when feeding in grassland their foraging efficiency was related to grass ht. Within their ranges, badgers avoided pasture with long grass and with relatively low worm densities. It might be possible to make badgers avoid cattle-grazed pasture by reducing worm populations chemically, or by increasing grass ht. by a different grazing routine. This could be effective in preventing the contamination of cattle by badgers with bovine tuberculosis.