A badger returns, but is it one of our couple? Is the sow in torpor? 10th January 2026

A badger has appeared in the main sett area of Badger Manor. A couple of times, it is seen to sniff the main sett entrance then head hurriedly either to the left of the entrance or out on to the adjoining footpath.

One night, a badger enters the main sett entrance, pauses at the mouth of the right chamber, then heads out of the sett. Has the chamber experienced a collapse?

Finally, on the very early of Friday morning, like just after midnight, a badger enters the main sett entrance, goes into the right chamber, then a minute later crosses over into the left chamber. None of my trail cams capture the badger leaving the main sett. Hmmmm.

Has the sow commandeered the right chamber and is not allowing the boar into it? This could indicate she is pregnant and has reserved the right chamber for herself.

Is the badger investigating a potential new sett or itself?

Is it our boar who did one of his flying visits, crossed over to the left chamber then exited either back through the main entrance whilst my trail cam 'slept' for 30 seconds or exited through an opening I have not found?

Who knows.

What is known is the weather this past week. It has been foul, with an overriding theme of cold to very cold. We had snowfall on a couple of days. Then storm Goretti sauntered through, dumping large quantities of rain over a 15 hour period, before icy conditions returned.

In these conditions, with rock hard ground making it difficult to get at food, freezing temperatures, and then cold rain, badgers (especially pregnant females) would go into a state of torpor to conserve energy.

Whilst on our daily morning walk, I did see remarkably little badger activity around the area during either foul rainy weather or when the ground was frozen rock solid. Only towards the end of the week, when there was a little thaw, was there sign of badger activity around the area.