questions
Can badgers be removed if they are damaging property in France?
Their digging may lead to soil displacement and the weakening of drainage systems
Published
Reader question: We have had badgers taking up residence in our second home. The situation has become problematic, with the animals digging burrows and leaving large mounds of earth and sand, now potentially threatening the structural stability of our nearby house and barn. Is there any way to have them removed via the local mairie? We understand that badgers are now a protected species in France, despite concerns about disease and parasites.
Badgers are wild animals found across France, commonly in more rural areas.
They are a nocturnal species of mustelid that live in underground tunnels known as setts.
While they are generally discreet and rarely seen by humans, prefectures note that they can, in certain circumstances, cause significant damage.
Their digging may lead to soil displacement and weakening of drainage systems, agricultural land, and in serious cases, the ground around roads, railways and buildings.
They are not a protected species in France, however, are also not classified as an ESOD (espèces susceptibles d’occasionner des dégâts), meaning they cannot be freely killed without prior approval.
Badgers are instead classified as an ‘espèce gibier’, and so fall under a regulated framework.
This means you cannot freely remove them or destroy them but intervention is possible under certain conditions.
Requests made to prefecture
Article L.427-6 of France’s environmental code says such action can be taken when there is significant and documented damage, or when there is a clear risk to agriculture, infrastructure or public safety.
The prefecture is the one responsible for deciding whether or not action should be taken, acting through the Departmental Directorate of Territories (DDT).
A request must be submitted to the prefecture and justified, usually after the damage has been recorded. You must file the request online, via your local prefecture website. Alternatively, contact your mairie to ask for assistance filing the request.
Your mairie may endorse your case, but does not have decision-making power.
If the prefect agrees that intervention is necessary, it will be done by authorised professionals.
These interventions may include regulated hunting or other approved control measures, depending on the nature and severity of the situation.
Measures such as installing electric fencing close to the ground or physical barriers can also help reduce activity.
Depending on the measures approved, as the landowner you will be required to pay for them.
You can also read our article here to look at deterrents to prevent future issues.
