Habitat

Badgers live mainly in woods and copses in extensive underground burrow systems called setts, which can be recognized by the great mounds of excavated earth surrounding the entrances.

May also live in fields and hedgerows.

Badgers in Lancashire often live in open uplands, frequently making use of abandoned private drift-mines, as in much of Rossendale.

Most setts are within sloping deciduous or mixed woodland and have good access to grassland, such as fields, playing fields and golf courses.

Most setts are in sloping ground, and many are protected by being dug under trees or tree roots or even large stone slabs or rocks. In terms of soil, most setts are in soil which can be dug by the badgers powerful front claws. However, heavy clay soils are usually avoided, as they tend to hold moisture which can make the nesting chambers too wet for comfort.