In the RSPB's only survey to look at wildlife other than birds they found that one in ten gardens harbour badgers. A high number of frogs and toads were also found in people's gardens.
The Make Your Nature Count survey involves thousands of people and of the 4,000 who've taken part so far around 40 per cent have spotted frogs in their gardens and 19 per cent found toads.
Conservationists are happy that people are taking more interest in their garden wildlife, and see this as following on from popular tv shows like BBC's Springwatch.
The badger news prompts fears that the animals could spread disease to humans via their pets. Farmers are calling for a cull already as they are concerned that badgers spread bovine TB, and it is they who warn that badgers spreading to domestic gardens could spread the disease via bodily fluid traces to pets. Humans could then pick up the respiratory infection through close contact with dogs and cats - though it isn't fatal.
However, The Wildlife Trusts say that badger numbers are stable at around 300,000 in the UK, and that bovine TB has been in Britain for centuries. They say that the risk of humans contracting TB from farm animals, wildlife and pets is very low.
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