Dispersal patterns in a medium-density Irish badger population: Implications for understanding the dynamics of tuberculosis transmission.

European badgers () are group-living mustelids implicated in the spread of bovine tuberculosis (TB) to cattle and act as a wildlife reservoir for the disease. In badgers, only a minority of individuals disperse from their natal social group. However, dispersal may be extremely important for the spread of TB, as dispersers could act as hubs for disease transmission.