Badger Cub Rescue

Down in Ryarsh Wood this morning with Dylan (the dog). He was suddenly very interested in a patch of brambles. Thinking it was probably a pheasant either a cock hiding or a hen on a nest, I went to investigate and was surprised to see a badger. Clearly a young cub, no larger than a cat, it was not pleased to be disturbed, snarling at the dog in an uncompromising manner.

I removed Dylan from the immediate vicinity and tied him to a tree. Then with a stout stick I tried to see whether or not the cub was enatngled in the brambles, or even caught in a snare. Neither seemed to be the case but it was unwilling to move. Without protective gloves or anything, a rescue at that time was not possible. I went home and called Folly Wildlife Rescue and several hours later, they were were able to send someone out.

The cub was still there but now immobile and covered in flies. At first sight I thought it was dead. However it had emerged from the brambles and so it was a relatively easy matter to catch it up in a net and place it in a cat crate. It soon became clear

that the cub was far from being dead and was not happy to be restrained in this manner. Its fighting attitude bodes well for it and I trust it will be released to the wild once it is healthy and independent.