Stephanie Callister-Jarrold, who runs the Owls and Birds of Prey Rescue, Suffolk and Essex, has a wealth of wildlife care experience and had been helping more ground dwelling wildlife recently,  getting called to the aid of three separate badgers who had got a bit stuck. 

Warning: this page contains information on distressed and injured badgers. If you come across an injured badger please contact your local wildlife rescue and never approach a Badger no matter how cute or small it maybe, even cubs can be feisty.

Cub Bonnie

Getting itself jammed between a wooden fence and a steep bank, Stephanie was called to help investigate an injured badger cub (given the name Bonnie). Huddled in the gap it looked like this cub was out with Mum at night and had fallen down the steep bank with very little possibility of getting herself out of trouble. Stephanie took Bonnie to the vets for treatment, before feeding the cub with a type of sloppy mousse for hydration and nutrition.  

Cub Sunny

After settling cub Bonnie down Stephanie was called to a second badger cub, named Sunny – Sunny was found in a ditch crying for Mum, so had either left its Sett to go on an adventure or something had happened to Mum and she was looking for help. Luckily, she was heard and brought to the rescue attention. Cub Sunny was a little sweetheart who instantly cuddled up with Bonnie.

Badgers are social creatures and the decision was made to take both cubs to South Essex Wildlife Hospital for onward care. The wildlife hospital already had three little cubs, so they will all go in together and when ready be released together as a new Clan.

Adult badger

As well as the two troublesome cubs, Stephanie received a call about an injured Badger on someone’s drive. A very kindly kept an eye on the Badger till Stephanie arrived. by which time the badger had moved off the drive and into some nearby undergrowth. Getting to the injured badger proved tricky, but a determined Stephanie kept at it, at first blocked by huge brambles and tree branches from all angles, by good fortune, Stephanie managed to get a fair way into the brambles and got the grasper round the badger. Understandably the badger was not a “Happy Bunny” but put up with it.  When seen her earlier in the morning, the badger was struggling with her back end, especially on the right side so Stephanie took the Badger to the Veterinary Centre.

Sedated and checked over the badger looked very bloated and possibly pregnant, so the veterinary team firstly did an Ultrasound to make sure she wasn’t pregnant (she wasn’t) and then XRayed her (images below). She has a build up of gas on one side of the stomach, which will dissipate on its own, hence the pregnant look, but thankfully the legs, hips, pelvis were all fine. The badger was taken to a  Rehab Pen for some R & R, she has plenty of bruising and some scuffs to her face where she seems to have been clipped by a car, but these should resolve themselves after a few days. It’s now fingers crossed for a speedy recovery.

Badger questions

Where do badger live they live?

• Badgers live in underground tunnels called Setts, these Setts may be a main home passed through the generations or for occasional use like a badges holiday getaway. As badgers are fantastic diggers, some Setts can lots of very long tunnels. Badgers are very social creatures and live together in clans, but they can also be territorial. 

What do Badgers eat?

• Badgers are mostly carnivores eating earthworms, but can be omnivores when worms are not available or an opportunity presents itself eat snails, slugs and can eat some soft fruits.
• Badgers are good at feeding themselves, but if you want support any badgers that may visit you and increase chance of cubs survival in cold frosty periods or dry hot periods; the RSPCA advise to leave access to water, or small amounts of food like tinned cereal based dog food, or seasonal fruits.

Do badger hibernate and why don’t I see them?

• Badgers don’t hibernate but do put weight on for the winter and spend less time above ground  
• Badgers are Nocturnal and territorial so will only come out at night and tend to stick to the areas they know, but may wander further if looking for a new to expand their territory or if food is scarce near them.

What do I do if I see a badger?

• Leave it alone, Badgers can move at a speed and as they are mostly made of strong muscles, from all the digging they do, you wouldn’t want to get in their way.  

What if the badger is injured or a cub is on its own?

• If a badger is obviously sick/injured or in immediate danger, or you can see signs of a damaged Sett or a dead badger nearby contact your local animal wildlife rescue centre or the RSPCA
• What to do if you find a badger cub – leave it alone but observe it from a distance ideally for an hour or two if it is safe to do so. If it appears healthy and its eyes are open monitor from a distance for 24 hours/overnight.  
• Never put yourself in danger or handle the badger yourself. Badgers, even as cubs, can bite and can become aggressive if stressed and injured. 
• If in doubt contact your local wildlife rescue for more advice.  

Can I block a badger Sett or remove it or relocate it?

• No, Badgers are legally protected under Protection of Badgers Act 1992 this makes it an offence to intentionally or recklessly interfere or damage a Badger sett, including destroying or obstructing access to the sett and or cause a dog to enter a badger set.
• It is an offence to wilfully kill injure a badger, take a badger (or attempt to do so) or to cruelly ill-treat a badger.  Setts and can only be disturbed or blocked if an appropriate licence has been obtained Badger licences – GOV.UK  you can report suspected breaches of the act to the RSPCA or local police wildlife officer.