How to Help

Help from the Public is Essential!

If you observe any badger sign, you can either report the specimen to us or in the case of a deceased individual, you can sample the animal yourself. Below gives directions on how to:

  • Report activity in a call and email
  • How to properly sample from a deceased animal

Regardless of the observation, contact us immediately as time is a major factor in obtaining a viable sample for DNA testing.

Reporting Activity

The most important aspect of reporting signs of badger activity is be specific!!
In a call:

  1. State you name
  2. Contact information
  3. What type of activity you observed (live sighting, burrow, or road kill)

We will contact you again to obtain location information on how to find the specimen. If you want to sample the specimen yourself, please read below to ensure proper sampling. Due to the large number of calls we receive, we may not be able to answer all phone calls. Your reports are definitely important to us, and we always log all information. If you want a detailed explanation, email tends to be the better method as we can access email while in the field.

In an email:

  1. Same information as a call, but with some additional information.
  2. Give as detailed of a location as possible (e.g. GPS points, landmarks, proximity to city, road name). The more detailed, the easier and faster it will be to find the specimen.
  3. If you can, for burrows, send a picture of the burrow itself or give a specific description. Badgers burrows can be difficult to distinguish from woodchuck burrows.

Remember, the most specific, detailed reports provide the best experience for both our team and you.

Sampling

Although we do not generally recommend sampling road killed specimens, here are some considerations if you do decide to sample the organism yourself.

  1. Take a sample from an area that has not been exposed to the “elements” as much. One of the best methods is to take a small clip from the animal’s ear (approximately the size of a dime is fine).
  2. Place the sample in an envelope or plastic baggie. Try to prevent any moisture from getting into the bag.
  3. Contact us immediately to let us know that you sampled an animal. We can either come get the sample or you can send it in the mail. Contact us either by phone or email, and we will give you the appropriate address to send samples.
  4. Make sure to take detailed location information from the site where you obtained the individual badger. GPS coordinates are the best way to report locations, however, many do not have access to such equipment. Tell us the road where the carcass was found, and any nearby landmarks (intersections, exits off a highway, towns, etc).