A family of badgers has set up residence at a cemetery in Cranbrook, B.C.
The mother and her four kits were discovered around June 15 after they were seen hunting for marmots at a gravesite.
A video of the badgers quickly went viral on TikTok, amassing more than two million views.
The City of Cranbrook says it became aware of the badgers the following Monday and alerted the province.
But while the city is aware of the sensitive fact that the badgers are digging around people’s graves, there isn’t much officials can do until mom and her babies move along — because badgers are a protected species.
Provincial carnivore conservation biologist Karina Lamy says they’re listed as endangered both federally and provincially.
“The badger burrows are protected under the Wildlife Act. So, you cannot harm or harass a badger and you cannot destroy their burrow,” Lamy said, adding it’s illegal to do so.
She says that there are a maximum of 405 badgers estimated to be in B.C., and fewer than 100 in the Kootenays. But it’s not unusual for the animals to build a den in a golf course, backyard — or a cemetery.
The City of Cranbrook is dealing with a family of endangered badgers that have moved into a local graveyard and have started digging holes throughout the grounds.
Kirby Korven, public works manager for the City of Cranbrook, says the badger family moved into the cemetery after finding a marmot den.
She said the city has placed signs and barriers around the cemetery in an effort to keep the animals and the public safe.
“We’re just hoping that people will respect their space and keep their pets or dogs out of the area,” Korven said.
She said earlier this week that the badgers haven’t been seen for a few days, so she assumes they have either moved on or found another area to den in.
That’s typical behaviour of badgers, according to Lamy.
She says the young badgers are born in a natal den, and then the mother will move them from den to den while she hunts and forages for food. They will likely move several times before the mother badger and her young disperse.
“Right now … she has chosen the cemetery,” Lamy said.
CBC News contacted some family members of people buried in graves near the badger holes, but did not receive a response.
The city says is hasn’t received any complaints about the animals.
Korven says once they are sure the badgers have vacated the area, city staff will work to clean up the holes they made and return the cemetery to its usual state.