Badger Sett

Kew is teeming with badgers - there are over 20 setts in the Gardens. 

  •  
  • Close Thanks for liking this page. Tell us why by adding a comment at the bottom.
Badger Sett

Badger Sett

Did you know?

About badgers

The badgers arrived at Kew from nearby Richmond Park and cannot easily travel further east because London is so built-up. Badgers are protected by law, so Kew staff leave them to their own devices, even if they dig up lawns or prized plants. They are difficult to spot because they are nocturnal creatures, so are rarely out during the Gardens’ opening hours.

In 2005 we conducted a survey of the setts in Kew and it is thought that there are 24 different setts - of these probably four main setts are in use at any one time as badgers use different ones at different times of year. And there are probably something like 24 badgers in total. The numbers are unlikely to have increased during the last five years.

Badger setts comprise a labyrinth of tunnels. They live in family or social groups and emerge at night to forage for earthworms. Because badgers are creatures of habit they follow regular paths as they travel from their setts through fields, meadows and woodlands to find food in the wild. They continue using favourite routes even when roads are cut through them, which is why the car is now their greatest threat.

Children’s activities

In 2003 Kew created a human-sized badger sett to demonstrate how badgers live. It is located in the southwest corner of the Gardens, close to the Wildlife Observation Centre. A giant forked oak branch leads visitors into the badgers' subterranean world, where food stores, sleeping chambers and nests are connected by tunnels. All the tunnels are at least one metre high; one is 1.5 metres high and accessible to wheelchair users.

Kids’ mission

  • Although badgers are nocturnal, so not often seen in the daytime, they often leave evidence of their night-time wanderings around Kew. Can you find any clues the badgers have left behind? Look for scratch marks on trees, black and white hairs left on fences, and narrow, well-trodden paths.

3 comments on 'Badger Sett'

says

15/08/2012 11:16:19 PM | Report abuse

Thomas very upset to find badger set closed off for such a long time!

kirstie says

04/10/2010 12:30:23 PM | Report abuse

i love the badger set!

Chloe Moore and Sophie Mcdermott says

31/05/2010 12:00:00 AM | Report abuse

It looks really cool and i think it will be fun to experience the life of a badger. I think it is a great place to go with lots of kids so that they can all experience the life of a badger.

Garden attractions

Follow Kew

Keep up to date with events and news from Kew

Related Links

Related Tags

  1. interesting
  2. landscapes
  3. amazing
  4. beautiful
  5. english garden
  6. innovative
  7. for kids
  8. inspiring
  9. creative
  10. imaginative
  11. exotic
  12. fun
  13. popular
  14. english heritage
  15. historical
  16. romantic
  17. around the world
  18. adventurous
  19. ancient
  20. rare
  21. active
  22. challenging
  23. high
  24. discovered
  25. old
  26. unusual
  27. donate
  28. for friends
  29. gifts that help
  30. the UK
  31. successful
  32. irreplaceable
  33. ground breaking
  34. treasures
  35. at risk
  36. endangered
  37. fragile
  38. sustainable
  39. useful
  40. brand new
  41. for plant lovers
  42. special interest
  43. powerful
  44. high up
  45. Kew at home
  46. wet
  47. ornamental
  48. pretty
  49. hot
  50. extraordinary
  51. garden plants
  52. wild
  53. flowering
  54. rare

Your Kew

We invite photographers to capture the sights at Kew and Wakehurst. These images are a selection of images submitted by photographers from around the world. We hope you enjoy them. You can see more on Flickr.

See your favourite reasons to visit