Defecation and urination patterns of badgers Meles meles at low density insouth west England

The spatial distribution of urine and faecal scent marks of badgers Meles m ales (Linnaeus, 1758) at low population density (mean +/- SE across 4 socia l groups was 5.73 +/- 0.735 badgers/km(2)) in south-western England were qu antified. Eighteen badger latrines (greater than one dung pit containing fa eces), 74 single defecations not in pits and 21 faeces in single pits were located in spring when badgers were defending well-defined territories. Woo dland was selected, and arable land avoided, for latrine sites. Pasture and built-up land was selected for single defecations not in pits whereas faec es in single pits were distributed randomly across habitat types. Faecal sc ent marks were strongly associated with the edge of pastoral fields rather than the middle. Forty-six and 51 urinations were located in spring and sum mer, respectively. Urine was deposited randomly across habitat types but wa s concentrated at the linear features surrounding the main setts. This is t he first reported use of high levels of single defecations and urinations i n badger scent marking strategies in the UK. These results are discussed in relation to the potential for transmission of bovine tuberculosis Mycobact erium bovis from badger excreta to cattle.