Image Credit: CFJC News

By Amandalina Letterio

Badges for Badgers

Kamloops winery uncorks ‘Don’t Badger the Badger’ conservation campaign

Jul 21, 2021 | 4:46 PM

KAMLOOPS — It is estimated that there are only around 400 badgers left in British Columbia, and Interior highways play a big role in the endangerment of the animal.

For the month of July, Monte Creek Winery in Kamloops is selling pins and postcards to save badgers from getting hit by vehicles.

“We could be a part of the efforts to save badgers in B.C. We’re really encouraging guests and visitors and everyone in the province who’s travelling this summer to just slow down and keep their eye out for these really low animals, they’re quite short and low to the ground. Just be mindful when we’re travelling on highways,” said Ashley Demedeiros, marketing manager for Monte Creek Winery.

The winery is also auctioning off artwork painted by the BC Wildlife Park’s badger.

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Yup, that’s right. The badger paints.

Her name is Bloom, and don’t worry, she gets commission for her work which will go toward her habitat.

“Bloom doesn’t actually like to get her paws wet or dirty, so when they did the painting they sprayed the paint onto the canvases and they actually squished the canvas together and she actually stepped on them that way,” Demedeiros said.

Monte Creek Winery sits by Highway 1 East between Pritchard and Lafarge Road which is the deadliest stretch of highway for badgers in the province.

“The highways fragment their natural habitats and it causes issues for them when they’re travelling between core habitat and different parts of their life cycle when they’re moving,” explained Karina Lamy, biologist for the BC Badger and Highways Project.

“They can get hit on the road. Getting hit on the road is one of the primary ways that they’re dying at the moment,” she continued.

The money will help preserve the badger population and go toward a Ministry of Transportation’s research on badgers and highways.

The winery will have researchers visit and evaluate the culverts running underneath the highway near its property.

“The evaluation of these culverts is… a few animals will be using them, obviously water passes through them, but to just make sure they are clean and clear so that animals can pass under the highway without having to go over top and risking to be hit,” Demedeiros said.

Badgers love the dry grasslands and soil found in the B.C. Interior, another reason why they dwell nearby.

“Badgers have really large territories especially when they’re in their mating season, which is July and August. They travel really great distances and a lot of the times are having to cross highways, so we just want people to be aware, slow down, and hopefully that can help with the conservation saving badgers,” she said.

To support the cause, click here.