Range of the Eurasian badger (Meles meles) in an agricultural area of northern Italy

From June 2000 to December 2003 a low-density badger (Meles meles) population was studied by radiotelemetry in an area of agricultural lowland in northern Italy. Four badgers, one male (M1) and three females (F1, F2, F3) were caught but only three of these were radio-tracked for 8-12 months because the transmitter attached to F3 failed. Tracked animals showed considerable home range overlap, with an overall mean size of 3.83 km(2) (M1 = 3.22 km(2), F1 = 2.39 km(2), F2 = 5.87 km2, Minimum Convex Polygon of 100% of the locations). In the study area 10 setts (mean number of entrances = 2.1) were detected. Each radio-collared badger used 2-3 setts, occupying one sett from 1 to 8 months (mean = 3.7 months, SD = 3.06) before moving to another one. All badgers shared, although in different periods, one main sett located in the inner part of their ranges. Considering this evidence and additional data about badger translocation from neighbouring areas, the social structure badgers in northern Italy is discussed.