Badgers most at risk from Wind Turbine blades

Environmentalists and anti-wind farm lobbyists have produced a list of the top ten wildlife creatures most at risk from onshore wind farms.

Top of the list by a wide margin is the humble Badger!

With their distinctive black and white striped noses, the Badger is just tall enough to be 'clipped' by the blades of wind turbines when the blade rotation reaches its lowest point.

The Badgers low 'squat' stance, ideal for it to sniff out food - Badgers have a very keen sense of smell and can eat up to 200 earthworms an evening - places it in the greatest danger of all the wildlife creatures.

Despite being accused of having little ears, Badgers are drawn to the death-dealing blades by the soft 'whooping' sound made by the blades traveling through the air.

The sound is not dissimilar to the hooting noise of an infant badger in trouble. Badgers are naturally good parents and will often go to the aid of a badger infant if the mother isn't present.

Studies are now being conducted around a number of wind farms in the UK to confirm the findings. A spokesman said they hoped their study would lead to an answer to stopping badgers approaching the wind turbines. One popular theory is that large plates of mashed potato left at the foot of the turbine towers, opposite side to the blades, could stop 100% of badger deaths.

special April Fool's Day photo credit: janetmck

For the real low-down on Badgers - visit Billy Badger's webpage.