Discovering Badgers: Biology, Ecology and Surveying – Online

Beneath the tranquil landscapes of the United Kingdom, a subterranean world comes alive after dark, where enigmatic badgers roam.

This is the perfect course for beginners looking to learn more about badgers. This course will focus on what badgers evolved from, distribution, biology, ecology and behaviour. This course will also cover a basic overview of threats to badgers, surveying and conservation.

This is a 3-week online course covering three topics. You will complete a variety of self-led online resources and activities. Each topic is then concluded with an interactive Zoom workshop to complement the online content. Time commitment is approximately 2-3 hours a week and an E-certificate is provided upon completion.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Understand how badgers evolved, their biology and key adaptation
• Understand the habitats of badgers, their feeding ecology, breeding and other behaviours
• Have a broad understanding of badger surveying techniques
• Understand why badger monitoring and surveying is important
• Understand the threats to badgers and measures to conserve and protect badgers in the UK

Who Should Attend? – Nature enthusiasts, students, rangers,  biological recorders, and early career ecologists.

Knowledge Level – Beginner. Level descriptors can be found on the following webpage: Framework and Course Level Descriptors

Prior Knowledge – No prior knowledge is required before taking this course, just a willingness to learn and explore!

Please note – bookings will close 2 working days before the course start date to allow for all participants to be enrolled to the online platform – bookings will not be taken after this time.
Bookings will close sooner if course capacity is reached

Understand how our online courses are delivered 

Live Webinar Information

There are 3 webinars for this course, taking place weekly. Please see the date listing below for the day and time.

Please note – webinars will be recorded and uploaded to the virtual learning platform for learners unable to attend.

Jack Riggall

Jack Riggall is an experienced ecologist, naturalist and keen mammal recorder currently living near Leicester. Jack is actively involved with recording efforts for wild mammal species across the county including for Leicestershire & Rutland Badger Group, and has taken part in national surveys such as the national polecat survey in 2014/15 and the sixth national otter survey of England in 2023. Jack has a soft spot for mustelids, especially badgers, and have assisted with badger vaccination schemes and other efforts to protect badgers.

Week 1: UK Badger Biology
Self-study material available from the start date.
Week 1 Live Webinar at the end of week 1

Week 2: UK Badger Ecology
Self-study material available after week 1 webinar
Week 2 Live Webinar at the end of week 2

Week 3: UK Badger Survering and Conservation
Self-study material available after week 2 webinar
Week 3 Live webinar at the end of week 3

The final deadline to complete any outstanding assignments and self-study components is 2 weeks after the final webinar.

Time commitment: This course will require approximately 2-3 hours of your time each week. This includes covering course materials on our Moodle learning platform and the Zoom session.

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  Expert Tuition

The course has been carefully created to help you continue to build and develop your knowledge as the course progresses. With content crafted to the online Moodle Platform and bespoke to the Field Studies Council.

The course includes:

• 45-minute interactive weekly Zoom workshops to connect with the tutor and other participants
• Expert tuition for which the Field Studies Council is renowned
• Activities to work on independently in advance of each Zoom workshop
• Tailored course completion certificate

Once registered, you will follow well-illustrated, user-friendly ’books’ to pick up knowledge. Quizzes and skill checks will give you instant feedback on your learning. Forums give students the chance to interact with each other as well as a place to share work.

Student Discount

This course is eligible for a student discount. If you are a current student, please use discount code BioStudent20 at checkout for 20% off all Biodiversity courses.

Natural History Bursaries

There are a number of natural history bursaries available to help with the cost of your course. To find out if you and your chosen course are eligible, read more here.

Accessing Your Course

• Once you sign up you’ll receive an email at least 24 hours in advance of the course opening with details of how to access our easy-to-use platform, Moodle.
• Moodle can be accessed through a browser or an app.
• Webinars are via Zoom so you won’t need any new software to attend

Recommended Devices

It is recommended that you access your course through a PC or laptop. Please be aware that there will be reduced functionality if you decide to access the course through a tablet or smartphone. The Field Studies Council is unable to email content directly to you.