BADGER RECORDS FOR ESSEX, 1965
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would have differed greatly from that of to-day and is unlike that
of six thousand years ago when there was a Rhinyo-Clactonian
prehistoric village below the high tide mark at Clacton.
With the forerunners of our East Anglian rivers as tributaries
of the Thames which was part of the Rhine system, whales of the
smaller species could well have penetrated some distance inland
and be unable to return to the sea. Indeed a stranded whale
might well have provided a change of diet for Acheulean man.
The Ardleigh Pit (map ref. 050280) is situated near a source of a
minor tributary of the Colne which in all probability followed a
different course in prehistoric times, but in the absence of data
of fluvatile deposits of the period in question in the region it is
not possible to suggest what the drainage system might have
been during the Great Interglacial.
Badger Records for Essex, 1965
By W. W. Page
The number of badger setts known in Essex now stands at
142. This figure, however, includes inactive setts and some setts
which have not been visited within the last five years. As in
1964, nineteen setts were watched and a total of thirty-five adults
and twenty-eight cubs were seen.
Considerable time has been spent by one group of watchers
studying the erythristic badgers in the Margaretting area (two
seen, 1964). One was watched at a very large sett where at least
three other badgers occur. In May, eight cubs were seen including
another erythristic individual. This was almost white with the
characteristic black head stripes, black underside and legs showing
very little pigmentation. It was interesting to note that this one
was lighter than the original adult. The two were still together
at the sett in December.
On 16th May a National Badger Watch was organised by Mr
J. R. Lloyd of Sherborne, Dorset, to gather information on
emergence times. Essex watchers were circulated and fourteen
returns were made, emergence times varying between 8.45 p.m.
and 10.0 p.m. (B.S.T.).
It now seems clear, after four years of study, that badgers no
longer occupy the setts in Epping Forest, but there are at least
two setts on private land adjacent to the forest which remain
active. It is the general opinion of the watchers that badgers in
Essex are holding their own and are perhaps on the increase.
To conclude, I would like to thank all twenty watchers in
Essex for their records and help, in particular R. A. Cowlin, D.
R. Scott, D. A. J. Hunford and C. Owen.