Expert opinion‐based relative landscape isolation maps for badgers across E ngland and W ales

Landscape epidemiological studies often produce maps that visualise spatial variation in disease incidence or prevalence. Within England and Wales a component of the spatial variation in the incidence of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is endemic infection in the European badger (Meles meles) population. This reservoir of infection presents a major obstacle to control and eradication of the disease in cattle, which is currently one of the major issues in agricultural policy in England and Wales. Previous bTB maps have considered the distribution and abundance of badgers, but there is recognition in epidemiology that other landscape characteristics that may relate to disease risk need to be considered. Landscape isolation is particularly relevant for management of disease in wildlife hosts, and especially for bTB in badgers, as the potential for badgers to disperse into and out of areas under management affects the success of culling, and possibly also the success of vaccination. To map the relative levels of landscape isolation for badgers, we used expert opinion of landscape obstacles to dispersal to apply a continuous surface catchment area approach, which is based on the concept of landscape connectivity and the technique of least‐cost modelling. Our results indicate that some parts of the landscape are relatively more or less isolated than others. This finding is directly relevant in the context of potential bTB management strategies, and we hope this will encourage collation of data designed to quantify the degree of landscape isolation for wildlife disease hosts, and encourage its consideration when formulating and assessing disease management strategies.