THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE BADGER IN ESSEX 7
was reported killed on the nearby Epping New Road. The other
sett, near the old keepers lodge at Broadstrood, had also become
inactive just before that time. Other setts in the Forest men-
tioned in Scott (1960) have not since been reused. However,
there are two setts on private land adjoining the Forest which
are at times active. One appears to have been in use through-
out the period but has only one hole open recently, and the other
became inactive from 1968 to 1970 but has become regularly
used since the middle of 1971. Where the badgers for this sett
have come from is unclear, for the sett is somewhat isolated
from the other badger populations and is on the opposite side of
the Forest from the other sett on private ground.
Overall, the badger is very close to extinction in the Epping
Forest area. The motor car is thought to be the main cause
through road casualties, although it may be that the making of
high forest type habitat by the Authorities is not to the
badger's liking, and increased disturbance by walkers and others
in the Forest, together with over-watching, may have contri-
buted to the badger's decline.
The position is further complicated by the long history of
badger 'introductions' made into the Forest. E. N. Buxton intro-
duced some pairs into the Forest around Loughton in 1886;
whether badgers were completely extinct before this time is not
recorded. G. Dent (in litt) has reported that badgers were fairly
common in the Forest from 1910 to 1920 and that between 1919
and 1930 he "turned down a good many in Epping and Hatfield
Forests, which had been dug out in other places in the County,
where they were unwelcomed". In recent times, between Decem-
ber 1967 and January 1969, at least 9 badgers were released into
the Forest, 8 of which were from the Southend area, taken from
setts which were in danger of development or where the badgers
had been raiding gardens and were being threatened by shooting
or gassing. Of the 9, at least 3 were released into the Broad-
strood sett, the others being either released or escaping into the
open Forest. Broadstrood sett was in use until late Autumn 1969
but since has not been used. Four vague road death records were
received at about this time from the area but there is no other
evidence of the fate of these animals.
Erythristic Badgers
Erythristic or light coloured badgers have been reported from
several localities in Essex. One sett in Benfleet has supported a
small population of them since 1958 (D. Hunford in litt.) and
between Chelmsford and Ingatestone, two separate groups of
setts have had erythristic individuals born at them. At the group
nearer to Ingatestone light cubs were born in 1964 and 1966 (see
photograph) and whilst extensive watching was carried out, the
erythristics remained most elusive, although once above ground,
they were always easy to see. From 'closer examination, the 1966