THERE are about 196,000 badgers in Ireland, according to a report compiled for the Departments of Agriculture and Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht.
The Badger and Habitat Survey of Ireland was assembled over the past five years by Dr Chris Smal and shows that almost three quarters of the animals live on or close to cattle pasture.
In addition, setts now number about 139,000, 40,580 of which are "main setts" where badgers live communally. The average social grouping includes 5.9, adult animals and badger density is estimated in the report at one social grouping per two square kilometres.
Dr Smal classified the main landscape components at 60 per cent grassland, 7.5 per cent arable land, 16 per cent moorland, 6 per cent woodland, 1.5 per cent hedgerow and 3.5 per cent roads/ towns.
The report also states that cattle occupy 44 per cent of the land mass and that 75 per cent of setts surveyed were on or adjacent to pasture. Thus separating the two species was difficult. The high population is attributed to the extent and distribution of favourable habitat.
Farmers continue to demand an accurate badger count.