Sett site selection by the Eurasian badger (Meles meles) in an Italian Alpine area

Badger Meles meles sett distribution was analyzed in a protected area (425 ha), NE Italian Alps, extending from 1000 to 1600 m a.s.l. Thirty setts with a mean number of 1.8 entrances were recorded, all localized below boulders. In order to examine the factors affecting sett choice, 12 variables were considered including physical and morphological characteristics, human disturbance, vegetation cover and tree/shrub species around the sites. Variables for 30 sett sites were compared with those for 30 randomly selected ones. Sett sites were localized on more sloping soils and under larger boulders, with a narrower slope angle than random sites. In addition, they had a thicker total vegetation cover and were more distant from disturbance sources. Around the sett, broadleaved trees were more common than around the random sites. Using a logistic regression model, the factors affecting sett site selection were primarily the physical characteristics of boulders (slope angle with the soil and size) and, in second order, disturbance. The study area seemed to offer a large number of suitable boulders below which badgers can dig a sett, whose size probably depends on the morphological characteristics of the soil rather than extent of use.