Badgers Casualties,
Good Patients? - No Way!
The badger is a powerful animal - strength, claws, sharp teeth, wilful and determined, so it goes without saying that a badger in a bad mood is a badger to be treated with respect! As they go about their everyday business of finding food and defending territory they cover a lot of ground and are continually facing all manner of trials and tribulations. They may sustain injuries through fighting or accident, contract illness, inadvertently poison themselves, become trapped or isolated from their own territory, or be persecuted by some less than thoughtful individual. No matter the reason, when they end up in our hands you can be assured they will not be the most ideal patient we have ever encountered so expect less than a little co-operation from them!
All this said, if you are faced with dealing with a casualty, the golden rule is always -
seek expert help! If you can't or the situation demands immediate action then what follows should be of help.
Reasons badgers become casualties
- ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS (RTAs) This danger particularly arises at night. The badger is frequently killed outright but more often than realised it may only be injured.
- SNARES Badgers may become trapped in snares set for foxes, or may fall victim to illegal trapping. When caught in a snare a badger will struggle violently which will result in further injury being inflicted.
- ELECTROCUTION Railway lines can prove fatal to crossing badgers.
- ORPHANED YOUNG Fatality of a parent may result in orphaned cubs. Freshly weaned cubs have been known to stray away from home territory.
- NETTING It is not uncommon for badgers to become entangled in football and tennis nets.
Risks involved when dealing with casualties
All wild animals retain suspicion of humans. The natural reaction when approached is to hide or flee. If this is not possible, fear will take over and make the animal fight in self-defence.
When dealing with an injured badger the main priority is the safety of yourself and others. (Keep other people well away unless their help is essential).
Badgers are strong animals that possess powerful jaws. These jaws can inflict serious injuries. The badger is also equipped with long powerful claws (which are used for digging). These claws are also capable of delivering sever injury.
A badger that has fallen victim to an RTA may be unconscious. When dealing with an animal in this state you must be aware that the badger may revive at any stage of the handling procedure.
When dealing with a casualty personal protective equipment, such as gloves, is vital.
Whilst handling the badger always keep your face out of reach.
First Step - Situation Assessment
No matter what, your first step is to assess the situation, one casualty is enough! Many a good Samaritan has become the second casualty through over-eagerness to help. Consider the dangers to yourself, particularly if you are dealing with a road casualty. (Drivers don't expect to find people bending over something in the middle of the road, at any time of day, by the time they realise what's going on it may be to late to argue the point!) Also consider that what looks like an unconscious animal may be one in an instinctive defence mode, simply lying still, dazed, waiting for the strength or opportunity to make off. An univited helping hand may suddenly become a bitten hand!
Second step - Planning
Having assessed the situation carefully, you should plan what you are going to do next. Stress (for the casualty)is a major problem when dealing with any casualty, it can worsen a situation dramatically. There have been some very poorly planned rescue operations which resulted in further injuries to both casualty and rescuer! Action should be swift and precise. Have the necessary equipment and assistance at the ready, know what you are going to do and do it with as little fuss as possible.
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation of injured or displaced badgers is something that requires careful consideration and planning. Badgers are fiercely territorial and belong to close knit family groups. A badger that has been out of its territory for any length in time will have lost its identity (family smell), and while it may recognise where it is, the local clan may no longer recognise the in-comer. To drop a badger off in a quiet corner of the countryside is not an option and could very well be an act of cruelty.
Please visit the
rehabilitation pages for advice, or contact your local badger group for help.