|
Latest
Update:
23rd December
2006
After a call to our emergency line this
afternoon the GBG attended an incident in the Usk area of
Gwent, after a badger was seen dragging itself in a bit of a
daze in a field.
The GBG Officer met up with the callers
and went to the scene where the badger was quickly located,
but instead of staying in the field he went for cover and
ended up in a ditch filled with water.
With the help of the callers the GBG
officer cut way the briars and part of a barbed wire fence to
get access to the badger and finally pulled him from the water
and into the cage.
The badger was then rushed to the vets
and upon arrival was put onto heat mats and hot water bottles
as there was a possibility of hypothermia, setting in, the vet
then put the badger under so he could be treated.
After x-rays proved nothing was broken
and internal injuries were ruled out, the badger was checked
even closer for external injuries and a few small puncture
wounds were found around the head but not bad enough to cause
the symptoms the badger was suffering.
A line was put in so that warm fluids
could be fed in and also for faster access for drug
administration which proved to be vital.
As the badger was being examined he went
into cardiac arrest and because the line was already in it
saved time and life saving drugs and CPR were applied to the
badger and he came back to us with a good heartbeat and
breathing.
The Vet and GBG staff continued with the
examination and care for the badger but after about an hour he
started to struggle with his breathing and again went into
arrest so it was decided to let him go.
Although Christmas is the time of
miracles this badger had slipped away, we have piece of mind
that at least his last few hours were warm and
painless.
Well done to all, and thanks to the
callers who lent the officer a pair of Wellingtons and for the
help given. We can’t win them all but we will always keep
trying.
Click
here for gallery
21
November 2006
Wookie has been released, at about 7.30
GBG officers were taken into the woods by a forestry commision
ranger which made life much easier as he knew his way about in
the dark and made the route to the release site quicker,
whilst at the site the repairs to the fencing were inspected
by the ranger and he has said more work will be carried out
ASAP to further improve the area in general.
A freind of the group came out and had
the honour of opening the door and Wookie trundled of at his
own pace, it was almost as if he did not want to go for a
moment but as soon as he had his bearings he dissapeared into
the undergrowth.
Wookie Prior to release
We stayed in the area for a while
listening to him crunching through the undergrowth just to
make sure he was on the right track and then he was gone, and
another badger success was at an end for the GBG, What a
Feeling...
20
November 2006
It’s been nearly four weeks since we
rescued Wookie and he has made a better recovery than expected
of a badger that was in his state, he came in at 4kg/8.8lbs
and within a week he had jumped up to 5.4kg/11.9lbs and over
the last two weeks he has gone right up to a full badger
weight of 7.6kg/16.3/4lbs thanks to all the fruit cake and
honey sandwiches and other goodies he has been getting besides
his normal badger diet.
Although he still had a bit of a scar on
his head it has healed well enough and the only other injury
was a missing claw, which was removed by our vet as it was
hanging off.
We have had him examined this week and he has
had his release papers so we are taking him back to the woods
on Tuesday (21-11-06).
Good Luck
Wookie.
Group members and other volunteers went
to the site on Sunday to repair the fencing around the cave
entrance and it is now safe and will stop wildlife falling in,
It was a very difficult and dangerous job but the GBG have
again shown that with the right equippment and knowlage we can
tackle any job that comes our way.
The GBG would like to thank all who gave
up their time on a Sunday to help with the repair
work
Gallery
click here
2nd November
2006
Wookey
Update.
After a visit to the vets we can confirm
that Wookey is doing well and has gained 1.4 Kg (3 lbs), and
it looks like there are no outstanding problems at the
moment.
He is enjoying a wide variety of foods
including, fruit cake, fresh mince, honey sandwiches, and
anything else with calories, but has turned his nose up at
roast chestnuts so the GBG staff are having to eat them for
him.
Wookey will now stay in the rehab pen
until release, which should take place when his weight
increases to a minimum of 8 Kg (17.5 lbs) so he has a fair bit
of eating to do, but at his current rate of weight gain this
should be achieved in approx 2 weeks.
He will have a final visit to the vet
before release just to make sure everything is ok with his
health, we shall keep you updated as much as we can as his
rehab continues.
GBG starts
internet badger talk
The GBG has now started to use the
popular Skype program to educate and chat to people online
with any badger related topics, there will be somebody online
between the hours of 8-10pm most nights so if you have Skype
use the info below to get hold of one of our staff.
Skype contacts :
 Gwent Badger Group Mike
 Gwent Badger Group Steve
 Get Skype
here once
installed use the search to find us and the good news it's
completly FREE toget and use.
31st October
2006
Wookey the badger doing
well
The badger rescued from the cave now
known as Wookey as he was found in a cave is doing very well
but sill has a long way to go he has been feeding on lots of
goodies but his fav food is minced meat.
as you can see from the photo he looks a
bit cleaner but is still very thin, he is booked into the vets
on thursday this week for a check up but he is on the mend.
more news as it comes in.
HAPPY HALLOWEN FROM WOOKEY
!
 
28th October 2006
Group works for five nights to
rescue badger from cave
GBG rescuers battled for five nights and
in all weathers to rescue a desperate badger that got into
difficulty after falling down a 17-foot hole into a
cave.
The call came in on Saturday evening from
a group of walkers who saw the badger hanging on to the side
of the hole, by the time the GBG arrived they were assisted by
the walkers to the site but the badger had by now gone to the
bottom of the hole.
The GBG and other rescuers set up a rope
rescue and descended down the hole and into the cave, but it
was a labyrinth or crevices and tunnels and the badger had
made off down one of them.
After making a search of the area for
other hole it was determined that the badger could not get
out, and after many hours of work into the next morning the
search was called off.
After a briefing and many phone calls 4X4
transport was arranged and equipment gathered and the GBG
mobilised for another go at finding the badger, rescuers were
again sent into the cave and found nothing and it was decided
to lay a cage trap baited with food and water to see if we
could attract the badger and capture it.
The next night again saw a no show and
the trap was left for another night, and then on Thursday
night we looked into the hole and there was the badger in the
cage and everyone was relived that at last we had the badger
and could get it out of this sub terrainial prison, and I
think our rescuers were glad that this would be the last trip
into the deep.
So rescuers went in and the cage was
carefully hauled out and for the first time we saw the badger
who was in a sorry state, so we loaded him into the 4x4 and
made the journey to the main road where he was transferred to
one of our responder vehicles and it was off to the
vet.
Upon arrival the vet examined him and he
was very thin just skin and bone, all the fat had gone as had
all his muscles due to hunger and lack of fluids he also has a
penile prolapse where the penis was hanging outside of his
body as there was no muscle to keep it inside this alone is
life threatening but the vet managed to return it and it
stayed in.
The claws on his back feet were worn away
to little stumps and the front were no better with one claw
hanging off that had to be removed, all this and lots of the
usual bugs that live on badgers made for a very weak and sick
animal.
The vet and GBG rescuers worked into
another night trying to get as much warm fluid into the badger
as we could and he was given painkillers and antibiotics and
taken to the rehab pen to go under the heat lamp.
The next morning he was on his feet and
had eaten some food, he is only about 18 months old and had a
lot of fight in him so fingers crossed he will make it but it
will take a long time and a lot of effort to get him
there.
The GBG would like to put out a huge
thank you to all involved in the rescue without you it would
not have been possible you have your hearts in the right
places in all it took 12 people, 2 land rovers, a small van,
three other vehicles and a lot of kit knowledge and hard work
to pull it off CHEERS FROM THE GBG. also
thanks go to our vets at the Chepstow Veterinary health centre
for coming out in the middle of the night
.........Again
Look out for more news as it comes in, if
you would like to make a donation to the GBG to help towards
the rehab of the badger please go to out donations
page, or you can become a member.
SAFETY FIRST : If you see an animal in a
hole, drain, cliff, or cave do not attempt to recue it
yourself, call for professional help.
Photo
Gallery click here
August 29th 2006
CALL FOR A BAN ON BADGER DIGS IN THE
ALLIER DÉPARTMENT, FRANCE
(Translation of the French
conservationists' appeal)
From 25 to 28 May 2006, French hunting
associations organised a national terrier digging-out
competition in the countryside near Saint Bonnet Tronçais in
the Allier Départment of France. Target species were the Red
Fox Vulpes vulpes and the Eurasian Badger Meles meles.
The digging-out (le déterrage) involves
cornering animals in their lair, burrow or sett and driving
them out for the kill, or digging with picks and shovels,
using dogs, usually terriers. It is the most cruel hunting
method still practised in France. It is however permitted by
ministerial decree, except for the month of May, when the
young are being reared and are still incapable of leaving the
burrows. Nevertheless this competition took place at the
height of the rearing season.
This form of hunting is justified by its
practitioners on account of damage caused to agricultural
activities. The damage done by badgers is in fact minimal. Its
diet consists essentially of earthworms, insects, molluscs,
small mammals, fruit and tubers. Nevertheless, its burrowing
activity under farmland can cause actual damage through
collapsing tunnels. Such cases are however very local and the
killing of individual animals is then generally considered
legitimate.
Digging-out is however practised purely
for the benefit of the dogs and sport for the human hunters.
It serves no practical purpose and is extremely disruptive to
wildlife.
There are signs that the badger,
particularly as a consequence of this macabre sport, is in an
unfavourable state of conservation. The situation in Allier is
not precisely known but, in case of doubt, the badger should
be protected from such activities. It receives full protection
in Belgium, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Luxemburg, the
Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom.
French and other European conservation
organisations strongly oppose the holding of such events and
demand that they be banned by the responsible authorities.
They are destructive not only to wildlife and natural
habitats, but cause disturbance to numerous other animal and
bird species.
Human interplay with wildlife should, as
far as possible, be restricted to discreet and non-disturbing
observation. This provides pleasure to the observers and
contributes to a sustainable natural balance. This is of
particular importance in the Tronçais forest, a natural
inheritance for us all.
We refuse to accept this form of
practice; even less as a "sporting championship"! Such brutal
actions towards animals are inexcusable and must be tolerated
no longer.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
The local conservationists have
formulated an appeal to the Préfet of Allier Départment urging
him to ban this from of hunting. A copy of this text in
English and French is available below. Please send either
text, by copying, clicking on the link, and pasting in the
email body, to:
Click here to
open a blank e mail to PRÉFET ALLIER
DÉPARTEMENT
letters below
English:
To;
M le Préfet
Allier Département
Monsieur le Préfet,
We are extremely disturbed to hear that
the hunting organisations in your Département carried out a
badger digging hunt competition from 25 - 28 May this year.
The Eurasian Badger Melus melus is protected in several
European countries. The fact that this hunt took place in the
season when young are reared makes the action all the more
incredible and brutal.
We strongly protest against this barbaric
practice which can on no account be justified. We thoroughly
support the actions of local conservationists to have this
cruel sport, which is out of place in this day and age,
banned. We urge you, M. le Préfet, to take action to implement
such a ban.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address)
French:
Le déterrage
Monsieur le Préfet,
Du 25 au 28 mai 2006, l'association des
amis du rallye Les Mailleries organise, avec le soutien de
l'association Des Déterreurs (ADD) et l'association Française
des Equipages de Véneries Sous Terre (AFEVST) un championnat
international de déterrage de blaireau qui aura lieu St Bonnet
de Tronais, dans l'Allier.
A cette époque les jeunes blaireaux sont
encore en pleine période de dépendance, peine sortis des
terriers et dépendent encore de leurs parents pour leur
survie.
Etant très attaché la protection de la
faune, je déplore et dénonce l'organisation d'un tel concours.
Je vous demande de ne pas délivrer l'autorisation
correspondante. Cette autorisation tomberait dans la période
complémentaire de déterrage de blaireau fixe par le code
rural.
Cette période complémentaire est
actuellement rejeté par l'ensemble des associations françaises
de protection de la nature et sa fédération nationale France
Nature Environnement (FNE).
Le déterrage des blaireaux pendant cette
période complémentaire et plus encore l'occasion de ce
concours monstrueux va irrémédiablement perturber et détruire
la population de blaireau dans la zone considère.
La demande formule par les associations
de déterrage est uniquement pour assouvir un plaisir personnel
et cruel. Or la nature et la faune est un bien commun tous.
L'observation des animaux sauvages dans la nature, effectue
avec discrétion et sans la gêner est accessible tout le monde.
La différence entre les naturalistes et
tout autre personne qui observent la nature et les chasseurs
(les déterreurs sont en fait des chasseurs), c'est que les
premiers laissent la nature intact après leur passage et les
deuxièmes détruisent un bien commun tous.
En plus choisir la fort de Tronais comme
terrain de jeux est un scandale.
Cette fort est unique aussi bien pour ses
arbres que pour sa faune.
Je me permets si vous souhaitez vous
documenter sur la biologie du blaireau de vous conseiller de
lire le chapitre qui lui est consacré dans le livre Mammifères
Sauvages d'Europe de Robert Hainard (Editions Delachaux et
Niestl)
Veuillez agréer, Monsieur le Préfet,
l'expression de ma considération distingue.
(Name and address)
| 
GBG Chairman Steve Clarke with Professor John Bourne 
Stop Press:
Young Austrailian Couple visit Coed Reserve.
Our Chairman Steve had given a talk on badgers and was approched by an Austrailian couple who
really wanted to go out and see a badger in the wild, so Mike And Tony braved the weather again
and the night before they had to fly back Aaron and Gemma took the Welsh wilderness by the
scruff an joined them for a watch.
After a few hours our resident badger showed up for a munch and was brifely spotted on the night
scope, but was spooked and never came back, it was a good job hot drinks and food was made
available as it was the highlight of the night, lets hope we have better luck next time.
Brrr Aaron and Gemma at the hide.
Badget setts badly damaged
Western Mail
GWENT Badger Group has discovered two badly damaged badger setts on the outskirts of Chepstow.
