The number of reports we are receiving is increasing every year. This is proving quite challenging for our small team of GBG volunteers to deal with and we definitely need more volunteers to sign up.
- Road Traffic incidents. Depending on the time of year, we try to attend and establish the sex of the badger and whether a lactating female. If injured and still alive, this prompts a rescue.
- Badgers in gardens. This is a common type of incident reported to GBG. These visits can be challenging as require quite a lot of monitoring and an ecologist visit. Unfortunately, not all badgers are welcome. We try to educate and encourage and do have successes.
- Planning & Development. This causes the most problems for badgers and wildlife with many displaced and setts closed under licence. Often badgers end up on local housing estates with nowhere else to go.
- Felling trees on or near setts. Another common problem. Some contractors are unaware about the Protection of Badgers Act. Some are unable to identify a sett. Some just carry out work regardless.
- Solar farms where badgers live. One example ended with 7 setts being closed down by NE and dead badgers being found on nearby roads.
- Badgers rescues. Badgers often fall into situations where they need rescuing. Injured badgers are transported to the Vale Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital to be checked over and released back to the same location. Sadly, some do not make it and have to be ‘put to sleep’.
- Ecologists sometimes contact us for advice and local knowledge when working in the area on building projects or road construction.
- Poisoned badgers and badger persecution. If we get any reports of suspected cases, we always involve the police.
- Fox rescues. Foxes need rescuing in certain situations as well. We try to respond to all wildlife that needs our help.
If you feel you are able to join us and help with rescues, driving, researching local planning applications, sett surveying or helping on a stall, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
