A forestry warden in Drenthe recorded more than she expected to on a wildlife camera earlier this week – three badgers who appeared to be trying to mate at the same time.

“A trio? That’s not going to work, Pauline Arends said on Twitter. “Good balance is not their strongest asset.” The black and white footage shows the badgers in the distance, with a third attempting to mount the second, at which point the pile sways and collapses.

Arends has been following the family in the Hart van Drenthe reserve for over a year and says the current group is made up of four adults and three youngsters. “Badgers can mate all year but February is the high point,” she told Dutch News.

“In the video I think we are looking at a young male who has been triggered by the hormones and wants to join in,” she said. “You can see the other members of the family in the background.”

Nou ja zeg. Een triootje? Dat gaat natuurlijk niet. Balans is niet hun sterkste ding. Ergens diep in het #HartVanDrenthe pic.twitter.com/ZSe0AkaVrb

— Pauline Arends (@bosmier) February 27, 2024

Badgers do form close knit families, she said. “Play, and rough and tumble is very normal and the family scent is being continually passed around.” And as for the group scene? “I had to laugh,” she says. “Especially when the pile fell over.”