Over six years, scientists monitoring badgers fitted with GPS collars in Co Wicklow found that one in five males roamed a typical territory of 975ac, compared with the rest of the badger population staying within their close group's territory of 425ac. In distance terms, a so-called "super ranging" badger will travel 1.4km in one night, encroaching on his neighbours' territory, while his companions cover only 830m.

"Badger movements into and out of neighbouring social groups is associated with increased prevalence of TB in these groups," scientists wrote in a new paper. "Super rangers may therefore act as super spreaders of TB infection."

The research notes that the more adventurous males identified in the study have increased interactions with other badgers as well as cattle, and understanding their behaviour "may both improve our understanding of tuberculosis epidemiology and inform future control strategies".

The Department of Agriculture, which conducted the research with Trinity College and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, recently announced a vaccination campaign against TB in wild badgers.

"This information needs to be taken into account by people who do epidemiological modelling," Trinity College PhD researcher Aoibheann Gaughran, the lead author of the study, told the Irish Farmers Journal. "You'd want the vaccination to target these individuals before they engage in such behaviour."

While the study did not identify causes for super ranging, it found that all badgers involved were young males, indicating that targeting this group could make TB vaccination more efficient, Gaughran said. This includes using trapping methods able to catch younger individuals, she added.

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