Could this be badger poo?

[shirl]

I was out surveying for water voles today and found this above the reedbeds on a bank close to a wooded area. I know there are badgers in this area, but I am not sure if this might be a latrine as the consistency is quite different to the latrines I normmally find.

Cheers

Shirl

[vole-woman]

I'm no expert on badgers, but I've seen badger poo as sloppy as this (and had it IDed as such by someone who knew his stuff)

[Farplace]

Badger poo in my wood is this sloppy at the moment. Looks like it. I wonder if it is diet-related?

[Cordaline]

Send it to Chris Packham, he's the 'poo' expert!
(Sorry, Shirl, couldn't resist!)

[Dogghound]

Yes it is, if badgers have been feeding on large amounts of earthworms then their droppings tend to be very runny.

[healfdan]

Hello Shirl

From the texture and colour I would also go with a badger that has been tucking into a plentiful supply of earthworms. Badgers do not always deposit in latrine sites and isolated droppings can be found throughout their territory. Although it's not to everyones liking, it always helps when viewing animal or bird poo if you can supply as much info as possible, such as texture, visible content (fruit stones, beetle wing case etc.) is the droppings in a shallow scrape and are there any discarded hairs around the faeces. It all helps fellow members to reach a more positive ID. PS...nice picture.

[shirl]

Originally Posted by Cordaline

Send it to Chris Packham, he's the 'poo' expert!
(Sorry, Shirl, couldn't resist!)

Thanks all for the confirmation, my hubby did say that Chris Packham and myself would make a very good couple! Sloppy badger poo it is, always good to find.

Shirl

[Harold Smith]

I recently visited Westonbirt Aboretum and found a few Badger latrines which I labelled Mystery Poo!

The opinion was that the Badger(s) were suffering from eating too much fruit or had a worm problem. Maybe it is the same for your Badger.

Harold.

[frank george]

It looks very much like badger poo to me

[badgerwatcher]

From my observations, badger poo has a lot more colour of the soil about it, I assume from grubbing deeply. That looks like badger.