Welcome to the Website of the Gwent Badger Group
The Group was founded in 1974 and since then has continued to campaign, conserve and rescue badgers across the County.
The Group operates in the Local Authority areas of Caerphilly, Torfaen, Newport, Monmouthshire and Blaenau Gwent. Frequently our assistance is requested in the surrounding districts of Brecon and the Forest of Dean.
The Group now have their own reserve where Group members and members of the public can watch badgers and sometimes photograph them at close quarters.
Video of cub release
Rather belated but just to prove how successful the release was - see the video of her return to the wild. So keen to go home she actually ran through the legs of Sylvia Moss!!!!
Click here to see the video
Badger cub in care of GBG - now back in the wild
20th July 2012
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The cub in care has now been released back to the wild. After just over 3 weeks of care and feeding her weight had doubled.On being taken back to her home territory she showed signs of knowing exactly where home was and eager to return to her 'family'.The bank she had struggled to climb at the time of rescue was no obstacle as she raced back to the nearby sett. |
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7th July 2012
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Think the cause of our cubs problem has been identified - Coccidiosis. Though naturally occuring in any animal an increased level may impair growth - something that was a concern with this cub. Seven days treatment and good food, of which the cub seems happy to take again, should see her back on the road to recovery and release. |
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4th July 2012
A difficult last few days as the cub suddenly took a dislike to any food offered and seemed to suffer with a stomach upset (yet to be determined) so back on the nutritional food for a couple of days until she settles down.
A good opportunity to examine the cub's teeth and a health check. Weight now up to 1.8Kg. Not the rapid gain I would have liked but at last she's eating again.
30th June 2012
What a difference just a few days of TLC makes! The little cub is starting to take a wide variety of food. Puppy food, weetabix with goats milk and honey (note not cows milk!) and this evening is giving some attention to finely chopped boiled egg. In just a few days she has gained 300g - a 25% increase in body weight. Now bedding down in a nest of shredded paper. All going as hoped and on the road to recovery.
26th June 2012
This cub was found struggling on land belonging to Peter and Sylvia Moss. They kindly took the cub to Chepstow Veterinary Health Centre who cared for it until the arrival of Steve Clark of GBG.
Estimated to be 3-4 months old and weighing just 1.4 Kg the cub was very under weight. Further examination and swabs indicated a heavy infestation of worms.
Treatment with Panacur and syringe feeding a highly nutritional food to encourage the recovery process. (Images courtesy of Peter Hitchins)
Badger Vaccination in Pembrokeshire is underway
See the announcement on here on Youtube
Environment Minister, John Griffiths has confirmed that Wales’ ground breaking badger vaccination programme is now firmly underway.
The Minister announced in March that he would be embarking on a badger vaccination programme within the Intensive Action Area as part of his efforts to eradicate TB from cattle in Wales.
Following three months of hard work behind the scenes and a training programme for operatives, vaccination formally began on Monday 11th June and will continue throughout the summer and early autumn.
So far the vaccination programme has resulted in the successful trapping and vaccination of over 275 badgers. This is the first time that a project to cage trap and vaccinate badgers on this ambitious scale has been undertaken.
Speaking about the programme, the Environment Minister said:
“Our Strategic Framework for Bovine TB Eradication acknowledges that we must deal with all sources of Bovine TB, including wildlife, if we are going to achieve our goal of eradicating this debilitating disease.
“I am pleased that following my March decision to vaccinate badgers we have been able to move very swiftly and have now begun rolling out our vaccination programme in the Intensive Action Area.
“Our decision to pursue a vaccination programme has enabled us to take quick and decisive action aimed at developing a degree of immunity to TB within the badger population. We believe that this will reduce the risk of TB transmission from badgers to cattle.
“I would like to thank farmers and landowners for their co-operation. We will be monitoring the results of vaccination, and of our whole eradication programme, carefully to ensure we are making good progress towards our ultimate goal of a TB free Wales.”
The Intensive Action Area (IAA) is primarily located in north Pembrokeshire, but includes small parts of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire. The IAA is approximately 288km².
The vaccination programme has been carried out by employees from the Welsh Government who have successfully completed The Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) course relating to the cage trapping and vaccination of badgers by injection.
Other News
In England plans are in place to cull badgers over large areas of the South West of England. There are many groups and individuals who are opposed to this proposal.
Leading the challenge are Badger Trust (BT). BT have been granted the right to proceed with a judicial review of the decision made in Westminster. This challenge will be heard in the High Court in London on 25th & 26th June.
Additionally the Badger Protection League (BPL) have prepared a leaflet and are asking individuals to contact their MP.
