er e

ı́k ag a an irregular basis till 1980 when a new census prior to 1990 in the Netherlands seems to be ARTICLE IN PRESSof all badger setts had been organised (Wiertz and Vink 1986). The period 1959–1980 showed a steady decline in the number of occupied badger setts, together with a decline the increase of roads and traffic (Zee et al. 1992). From 1988 many measures have been taken to reduce traffic mortality. Generally the increase in the species during the last 1616-5047/ $- see front matterr 2005 Deutsche Gesellschaft für Säugetierkunde. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.doi:10.1016/j.mamIntroduction The European badger (Meles meles) is a protected species in the Netherlands. Its protection was first based on the Hunting Law (1946–1994) but later on the Nature Conservation Law and recently (2002) on the Flora–Fauna Law regulating species protection in the Netherlands. The protected status of the badger is based on nation-wide counting of setts. The first counting was carried out in the period 1957–1959 (Wijn-gaarden and van de Peppel 1964), further on in the total amount of suitable habitat. From 1990 a badger census based on the number of square kilometres where badger-activity was detected started every 5 years financed by th