Article

Natalia V. Sidorchuk, Ph.D. Biol. Sci., Researcher of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of RAS, Russia (33 Leninskij prosp., Moscow, 119071, Russia); e-mail: sidorchukn@gmail.com
Viatcheslav V. Rozhnov, Academician of the RAS, Director of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of RAS, Russia (33 Leninskij prosp., Moscow, 119071, Russia)

Sidorchuk N.V., Rozhnov V.V. 2018. Daily activity of the European Badger (Meles meles, Mustelidae, Carnivora) on setts in Darwin Reserve and Meschera National Park (Russia) in summer and autumn. Nature Conservation Research 3(2): 47–56. https://dx.doi.org/10.24189/ncr.2018.032

The European badger's (Meles meles) daily activity was studied in two regions of European Russia with camera traps. The results of the study show that the daily activity of the European badger on settlements does not differ in the compared populations inhabiting Darwin Reserve and Meschera National Park. The badger appears on surface often during the daylight contrary to the classical idea of nocturnal activity of the species. More than half of all animal registrations occur at daylight during the summer. The moderate climate of the study areas and low level of human persecution are considered among the possible reasons of this type of activity. The daily activity of the European badger undergoes markedly seasonal changes in both populations. Badgers more often came out from their setts during daylight in summer and at night in autumn. The results have practical application in the organisation of the census of badgers by means of camera traps.

camera trap, daily activity, Darwin Reserve, Meles meles, Meschera National Park

Received: 30.01.2018

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