THE HAGUE, December 5. /TASS/. Badgers have caused another slowdown in rail traffic in the Netherlands, Dutch rail infrastructure operator ProRail said in a statement.

According to the company, a large badger burrow was found along a section between the communities of Boxtelom and Liempde.

As a result, the speed of trains was limited to 40 km/h.

Among other things, this railroad track connects the large city of Eindhoven and Tilburg University. Due to the speed limit, fewer trains are now running on it.

A badger burrow may include up to 30 nesting chambers connected by numerous tunnels. The chambers are usually up to 50 cm in depth and the tunnels are up to 30 cm wide.

The discovered burrow has at least 11 entrances made in the railroad embankment. ProRail is monitoring the situation and conducting an environmental study pending a decision to capture and relocate the animals. "We are conducting the most thorough inspections and have installed sensors to monitor the situation," the company’s officials said. "We have identified active badgers in the area, and they continue to dig dens. Therefore, we do not rule out that we will have to take additional measures and completely shut down train traffic along this section."

The Netherlands has faced the problem of badger holes before. Two areas were closed to traffic due to the risk of soil subsidence in March. Back then, ProRail said it was monitoring 40 different locations where badgers have been active. These animals are a protected species in the Netherlands, so relocating them is only possible after obtaining a special permit.