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Each year Secret World can care for up to 50 badger cubs. Most of them are found locally but many come from other parts of the country because of the health protocol that the cubs receive prior to release. As each cub arrives, they are put into family groups and will remain in these groups and be released together as a unit.
Because we are very aware of the "Badgers and TB" issue we have established a testing programme, approved by DEFRA, RSPCA and NFBG, to ensure that any badgers we release are free from this disease. All the cubs undergo 3 separate blood tests, the only test available to ascertain whether a live badger has TB or not. They are also tattooed and identichipped to give us some idea of post release success.
Land owners... Release site appeal
We at Secret World practice the three R's: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release!
However unless we can find suitable release sites for the thousands of animals that we care for each year, the hard work is in vain. We always require release sites for the many different species that we care for. Some are easier to release than others for example a Swift brought into Secret World last year required no more than a few days rest and it could be released straight into the air from open playing fields just down the road. Other animals such as badger, fox and otter cubs as well as fawns require substantial resources and detailed surveying of land prior to release. Due to the space required these animals can be our hardest to release. Badger release sites must be suitable for badgers and yet unoccupied; the terrain must be diggable, ideally with a vacant badger sett on it. There must be adequate foraging and adjoining landowners need to be badger tolerant. There should not be any major roads near by and there must be no risk of persecution in the area of the site.
If you have access to 20 acres or upwards and you would be interested in assisting in the release of our larger mammals then please contact Pauline Kidner or Andy Parr at Secret World who can arrange a survey and discuss the suitability of releasing animals back into the wild on your land.
Andy Parr
Wildlife Release Officer
Tel: 01278 783250 or by email
PS. If you find a tattooed badger - the tattoo being inside one or both of the hind legs - please also contact the above.
Badger - Photo Gallery
Please click on the images below to view them and more on Flickr.Badgers are always accused of eating hedgehogs and in times when food is scarce, they do. However, they eat them in a special way that leaves the spine case behind so if there is no evidence of this don't blame the badger for your hedgehog disappearing.
Indeed, in most instances badgers leave hedgehogs alone - see the video clip below...
