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Hilton, Shauna (2025) The histopathological effects of potentially toxic elements on European badgers (Meles meles) from the English Midlands. MVM thesis, University of Nottingham.

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Abstract

The European badger (Meles meles), as an omnivorous mammal that tends to remain geographically close to its place of birth, could be a useful sentinel bioindicator of environmental contamination of potentially toxic elements.

An observational pilot study was performed on 14 wild-caught rodents, using a semi-quantitative scoring system to determine whether greater hepatic concentrations of lead and cadmium were associated with greater histological evidence of cellular damage in the liver and kidney. Juvenile rodents had significantly higher hepatic lead concentrations than adults (p<0.01), however adult rodents had significantly higher renal damage scores (p<0.05). No significant associations were identified when comparing hepatic cadmium concentrations and hepatic damage scores.

The main observational study examined the liver, kidney, and gonad, where available, in 50 found-dead badgers to assess for histological evidence of cellular damage including degeneration, necrosis, fibrosis, and inflammation, associated with greater hepatic concentrations of lead and cadmium. Greater hepatic lead concentrations were significantly associated with higher overall scores for renal damage (p<0.05) in the examined badgers. Additionally, renal damage scores were significantly higher for badgers with high (p<0.05) and toxic (p<0.05) values as extrapolated from other species, when compared to those with normal extrapolated values. There were no significant correlations or differences identified in any damage scores with increasing hepatic cadmium concentrations. Finally, no significant differences were identified between the populations with and without concurrent disease identified macroscopically for either cadmium or lead hepatic concentrations.

This study suggests that badger kidney and ovarian tissue reacts to higher hepatic lead concentrations similarly to other mammalian species, and that value limits for high lead concentrations are likely similar between badgers and other described mammalian species. However, more extensive examination with a larger cohort would be needed to fully define these limits.

Item Type:	Thesis (University of Nottingham only) (MVM)
Supervisors:	Bennett, Malcolm Bianco, Carlo
Keywords:	European badgers; Environmental contamination; Sentinel bioindicators
Subjects:	Q Science > QL Zoology > QL605 Chordates. Vertebrates
Faculties/Schools:	UK Campuses > Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > School of Veterinary Medicine and Science
Item ID:	81749
Depositing User:	Hilton, Shauna
Date Deposited:	10 Dec 2025 04:40
Last Modified:	10 Dec 2025 04:40
URI:	https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/81749

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