GBG NEWS ARCHIVE 2004
17th August 2004

Great news on Sunday 15th August 2004 Woodstock was released
Back into the wild after 3 weeks in the Groups care.

After a few weeks of touch and go he came back in leaps and bounds
And surprised us all with his recovery so it was decided that he must go
Back to the wild, present at the release was the groups Chairman Steve
Clark, along with his colleague Mike Edwards and Bekky Simmons and
her family who first found the little chap.

As usual it was open the cage and with no formal goodbye he was gone
But as always it is a great experience to see animals go back to the wild
After enduring unfortunate experiences, after seeing him go Bekky said
She was glad she stopped to help him and was pleased with the release.

Photos © Mike Edwards GBG

After a pretty poor week for Woodstock things could be looking up
At last. Over the last week his tongue still had not retracted back into
The mouth and he still was only taking forced fluids and not eating at all.

On a better point he had been on his feet a bit and was now curling up to
Sleep and still had enough strength to defend himself but a trip to the vet
Was inevitable.

After a quick look over the vet decided he should be sedated and checked
Over with more detail so this was done and Woodstock was soon chasing
Slugs in wonderland and was straight on the scales to be weighed and as
Expected had lost a few pounds.

Next on to the tongue, the vet had to put a gag in his mouth to keep it from
Closing and this seemed to be excellent for the examination as straight away
We had a good look at the tongue and it was in poor shape, he had a hole
Straight through the centre of it and there was a small part of it that was
Infected so this was repaired and cleaned and antibiotics administered.

Just to be on the safe side an endoscope was used to look into the throat, neck
And gullet to see if there was any more damage but all was fine, so hopefully
With a repaired tongue back in his mouth we can get him eating again and
Back on the road to recovery.

The GBG would like to thank the Vets and nursing staff at The Chepstow
Veterinary Health Centre for all their expertise and time, they have put a
lot of work and time into this badger and others we have rescued this year

Thanks from all at the GBG, your efforts have been huge.

More news as it comes in.

Click here for a photo gallery

Please Note: Images contain medical procedures and may not be suitable for children.

Previous News

Well the news is good so far on the Sunday rescue now named Woodstock, after a long sleep on Monday and Tuesday only waking up to go to the toilet and for us to get fluids into him, he seems to be slowly on the mend.

Badger Group Chairman Steve Clark is taking care of him and the only concern at this time is 
he won’t put his tongue back into his mouth, he has had a terrible bang to the head which 
caused a major concussion and also scraped his chin so there may be some nerve damage to 
the tongue either from the head injury or he may have bitten it himself either way this is a first
for us so we will be keeping a close eye on it.

Because of the extensive muscles on the side of the badgers head, damage to this may cause 
a swelling which prevents the jaw from closing to it’s normal position, which could also 
contribute to the tongue being allowed to fall outside the jaw line and flop from the mouth.

The time frame to indicate nerve damage is 10 days and he has been booked into the vet’s for
 Monday for a further examination and maybe a few x-rays. 

Fingers crossed.

Warning : This image shows injury

Photos © Mike Edwards GBG

                       
Sunday Rescue for group
Members of the Gwent Badger Group had their Sunday slumber shattered by news of an 
injured badger in the Usk area, Chairman Steve Clark recived the call and quickly utilised other
members to the rescue.

Group Secretary John Kennet and Member Mike Edwards gathered the rescue gear and went
off to collect the animal. Farm owner Bekky Simmonds found the badger and used the internet 
to help locate the group.

When the members arrived they had managed to get the badger into a plastic dustbin which
he was kept in for his journey to the Vet, for people who read this we must remind you that
the Simmonds are farmers and are used to handling animals so please do not attempt to move
an injured badger you may get bitten.

After arrival at the Veterinary Health Centre in Chepstow the badger had really got his wits 
back and was a bit of a handful but with use of a grasper managed to get him out of the bin
and onto the table for a full examination, and the good news is apart from a small injury to a
front paw and a bit of road rash to the face he seems fine but will be kept for 24hrs at the
centre for observation.

Hopefully all will turn out fine as he is very strong and after a good meal and a check up will be
released quite soon, so keep an eye on the news for more info.

Photos © Mike Edwards GBG

GBG Release Stormy Cub,
The Gwent Badger Group have released the female badger cub rescued near to death only two 
weeks previously (see Previous news below).

Storm as she was named really has lived up to her name, she was found in terrible weather, 
recovered in lightning speed and was released in weather that can only be discribed as the 
weatherman put it wet and windy, but the time could not have been better for Storm, the 
cage was opened and after a few seconds and once she found the opening she was free,
and made off with speed into the woodland back where she belonged.

Present at the release were Tony and Jan Davies who first discovered Storm, "It was quite an
emotional time for me seeing her go" said Mr Davies who has been facinated by badgers since
childhood, and praised the Group's volenteers for all the work and time put into looking after
the cub.

The Group would like to thank Tony and Jan for all their support and welcome them as 
members to the Group, "Many Thanks" GBG

Photos © Mike Edwards GBG

New Cub better than expected, Well the new cub has been a big suprise to us all, after the dramatic rescue the little badger did not look very healthy to say the least, very thin and exhausted, but on the latest trip to see the vet all that changed. It was like seeing a different cub said the vet full of life and with plenty of strengh to back it up. So after a good examination we discovered that the cub was a Female, and had gained a fair bit of weight and now resembles a normal size cub for her age. Gwent Badger Group's Steve Clark said it dosen't look like she will be here much longer now she's champing at the bit which is a good sign for an earlier release than we thought, this means she won't need to be de-humanised which in itself can add a few more weeks in captivity, and it is important that we release cubs back to the wild as quickly as possible. So it is looking good for the little cub, we will keep you all up to date on the release and maybe even have a few photos in the meantime here are a few photos from her last trip to the vet.

Photos © Mike Edwards GBG

Another Badger cub rescued in heavy storms

This cub came into the Groups’ care following a call from a member of the public to the RSPCA 
who then contacted us. The young badger was found on the grass verge leading to a local golf 
club, it was impossible to say how long it had been there but as soon as it was picked up the 
cause was obvious.

Click for larger image

The recent extended spell of dry weather has taken its toll on wildlife and this cub was one of 
its victims It was severely malnourished, dehydrated and hypothermic so the odds weren’t
good, it could barely lift its head and offered no resistance when picked up.

At the vets the first task was to get the cub dry thus preventing further heat loss this
exposed another problem. The cub was so weak it had been unable to groom for some time
and was infested with fleas and ticks it was quite literally crawling with them. As badgers are
naturally clean animals this was clean indicator that the cub had been deteriorating over a
period of weeks.

Its weight was another clear indicator of what it had gone through just 2 kilos (4½ lbs).
Here was a cub whose teeth indicated an age of 15 – 16 weeks, a healthy cub of this age
would weigh close to 5 kilos!

The first part of the treatment involved the injection of fluid under the skin, although only a
short-term solution, it would help in some way to rehydrate the cub. The next task was to,
some how, get some fluid or liquid into the cub’s stomach. Bottle or syringe feeding would be
slow, the cub’s reflex action to swallow was very weak so the delicate job of inserting a tube
down the throat into the stomach was the most effective way of getting a highly
concentrated nutritious food into the cub’s digestive system. Combined with an injection of
antibiotics plus a treatment to kill the fleas was as much as the vet could do the next stage
relied on warmth and TLC.

Still weak and cold the cub was placed in the nursing pen with an infra-red heat lamp overhead
to gradually raise the body temperature. Later that night further amounts of the specialised
food was given, although managing to swallow, the cub was exhausted after only a small
amount.

The next 24 hours was the crucial period. An early morning feed was accepted more eagerly,
although still very weak the cub took the concentrate more readily and I was able to give half
the daily recommended dose in one feeding a promising sign.

A small amount of food was left close by in case the cub felt able to take more. As warmth,
darkness and rest aid recovery the cub was left alone until later in the day just prior to the
next feed. There were further signs of improvement, the eyes were open wide and it sat up,
rather shakily, went it sensed a presence close by.

Click for larger image

The specialist nutritious foods will be continued for up to a week whilst gradually introduction
to other food little but often, takes place. Too much food too rapidly can cause complications
to a weak animal.

The change in the cub’s condition in just 24 hours leads me to feel confident that the cub will
make a full recovery and, as it has weaned, will be released back where it was found.

The delicate and skilful treatment give at the vets made the difference, I feel, between
survival or death and for that care I’m extremely thankful. When the cub becomes a little
stronger it will be taken back to be re-examined to check that there isn’t any long term
damage as a result of the trauma.
You may have noticed that I have been referring to this young badger either as ‘it’ or ‘the cub’.
Our efforts were more concerned with saving the cub than finding out whether it was a ‘he’ or
a ‘she’

Double Trouble

*Gwent Badger Group Rescues Two Cubs

These two cubs came into our care as a result of a telephone call from a concerned member of the public.

The workmen on a large construction project on the outskirts of Chepstow had unearthed a ‘sett’ with a mechanical digger, but it wasn’t a conventional sett, just an upturned cattle trough discarded amongst the soil and rubble leftover when the site was cleared prior to construction.

 
click for larger image

On arriving at the site the foreman took my wife and I to the area explaining that the sow had run off, one cub had moved off into the nearby hedge and the other cub, who had been caught in the machine, when released, moved away in the opposite direction.

In searching the immediate area a sudden movement in the nettles attracted my attention, a piece of expanded foam moving, seemingly unaided, needed further investigation. Creeping quietly towards the foam I spotted two small quivering feet. I snatched back the foam and quickly scruffed a spitting and snarling cub – cub one.

Into the cage he went, still spitting and snarling – now the search was on for cub two. I, my wife, the lady who rang us and her dog searched over a quarter of a mile of nearby hedgerow, nettles, rubble and a field of rape seed, but no sign of the cub. As the site was being locked for the night all we could do was leave a note for the security guard asking him to contact us and allow us to search the site later.

With cub one safe we left the site hoping that the call would come through allowing us to search for the other.

At 8 o’clock the phone rang “If you want you can come and look for that other cub” were the words I welcomed most. “I’ll be there in ten minutes” I replied.

The rain had started and this was the only chance I had of rescuing the lonely cub before he either crawled off to starve or succumb to hypothermia in the wet and cold night. A search of the previous hedgerow lead to nothing until nearing the point I started when I heard a grunt and looked down to see a small bedraggled cub, soaked through and with an attitude problem! This little cub had the audacity to attack a size ten boot which was worn by someone standing just over six feet and chanced pitting his 4 ½ lbs (soaking wet) against a 14 stone human – what impudence!

He got away with it once, but I was ready for him second time. As he lunged forward so did I, a quick grab at his scruff and he was safe, but still fighting. As small as he was he was determined to carry on the fight. Being careful to support him with both hands allowed him the opportunity to sink his teeth into the nearest available thing – my fingers!

Boxed up and off to meet up again with his brother. Both quickly buried themselves under a blanket of fresh hay not to be heard of again that night.

Both cubs had yet to develop their permanent teeth so milk feeding was the starting point. They were both becoming stressed at being handled, - yes I was bitten again – stressing me!

Soft food seemed the most suitable form of feeding, Weetabix, baby foods, scrambled eggs were taken, so handling became unnecessary.

A few days to settle in before a visit to the vets for a full health check. There was some concern when I booked the appointment for two badgers but it soon disappeared when I arrived with two 9-week-old cubs. Even the veterinary nurse braved holding one (the one that didn’t bite). Both were in good health and literally fighting fit!

The theme for naming this years cubs are minerals and stones so they were “christened” Jasper and Malachite. You learn to tell the difference – especially when one bites!

Their attempts to eat minced meat involved emptying the feeding dish over the floor of the pen and walking over it whilst trying to eat it leaving a greasy residue over the floor, tinned dog food faired a little better. So accepting a varied diet ensures both are rapidly gaining weight.

Their future rearing and release is already being arranged, it’s unlikely they can go back to the area they came from. The company of other badgers plus the need to allow them to develop their survival skills ready for release back to the wild later in the year now the priority.

*Steve Clark

Rescued Badger Cub Latest

*Orphan badgers safe and sound
TEN-week-old badger cubs Jasper and Malachite were rescued from a construction site in 
Shirenewton by Gwent Badger Group chairman Steve Clark following their discovery by builders.

The cubs, which weigh around 5lbs compared to an adult badger which weighs 25lbs, were 
found underneath a cattle trough after their mother bolted for safety.

They are now living with Mr Clark until they are old enough to be released back into the wild.
Mr Clark said: "Workers spotted the two cubs with their mum as they were clearing a large
area with a mechanical digger. Luckily they were saved but not before their mother abandoned
them.

"Their home was completely destroyed so I've been weaning them on to solid food and 
monitoring their health. 

Once they are old enough to protect themselves from other badgers, probably around 
September, we'll let them go but keep an eye on them for about six weeks." 
*South Wales Argus

Watch this space for more news and photos on the cubs progress.

Here are a few photographs taken at the Vets, where the cubs recived a health check and 
we are pleased to say they are in perfect health, just click on the small image to view the
larger picture.

 Photos © Mike Edwards GBG

Donations:

As you can imagine bringing up two badgers is a costly business as they will need veterinary 
care as well as a specialist diet to keep them strong and in tip top condition for when they 
are released.

If you would like to make a donation towards the upkeep of  the cubs please go to our
"Donate to us page" where you will find details on how to donate to The Gwent Badger Group.

News Update

Blood samples from the cubs have proved negative for TB, which is great news for them,
other badgers in the area and the local farmers.

Jasper and Malachite make the BBC News
Click here to read the story
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