Plate I. A badger cub at Loughton Camp in 1960. This was one of the last
cubs to be born in Epping Forest. Photo David Scott.
Yet more badgers (at least nine) were released in the Forest between
December 1967 and January 1969. Some of these were put into the Broadstrood
sett, others simply liberated into open woodland. Following this the Broad-
strood sett was used until the autumn of 1969 but not since. Some reports
indicate that a high proportion of these badgers died in road accidents (Cowlin,
1972).
Two long established setts on private land very close to the Forest (at
Aldergrove Wood and Birch Hall) remained in use fairly constantly until about
1972. Breeding occurred at both these setts long after it had ceased at Loughton
Camp. These setts still both exist but badgers have not been seen at either since
1972, Aldergrove is almost certainly inactive but Birch Hall may perhaps still be
used sometimes. It appeared to be active in 1976 but not in 1978. (Based on
observations by R.A.D. Cowlin and myself). A third sett, at Woodredon, has
been used recently.
Badgers have now disappeared from most Essex setts close to London.
Setts on public land tended to die out first. The Epping Forest badgers were the
first to go — some ten years or more before the Hainault Forest badgers.
BATS
Bats can be seen flying over the Forest on almost any summer evening.
Unfortunately, bats cannot be identified in flight with any accuracy — except
for a few species which can be identified using an ultrasound detector. A
thorough survey of Forest bats is very urgent as many species are declining
nationally. There are almost no recent records of bats identified accurately from
20