Four community-spirited children have rescued a badger cub found on its own at Apex Park in Highbridge – and it’s now receiving special treatment from the wildlife carers at Secret World Wildlife Rescue.
The cub was discovered by Luna, 9, Parker, 11, Lyra, 9 and Noah, 11 who, recognising the cub needed help, took her home.
Their mother promptly contacted Secret World Wildlife Rescue in East Huntspill and the young badger was collected straight away.
Secret World’s Pauline Kidner says: “Believed to be only six or seven weeks old, the cub was far too young to be above ground and would still have been entirely dependent on her mother.”
With staff already stretched due to the number of cubs requiring round-the-clock care, Pauline took the Apex Park cub home for intensive care.
Pauline says: “The cub was found to be in good condition with very few parasites, raising hopes that she might be returned to her mother if she was still in the area.”
“A lot of work is done to try and get badger and fox cubs back with their mother if possible as their care is intensive and new release sites are hard to find for their family groups.”
Pauline began syringe-feeding the cub while trail cameras were installed near the sett where she had been found, in the hope of spotting a lactating sow.
She adds: “Although no badgers were seen on the footage, a final attempt was made by the charity’s Wildlife Release Co-ordinator, who waited near the sett from 9pm to 1am with the cub safely secured in a cage. Sadly, no adult badgers were seen, and the decision was made to admit her into the full rehabilitation programme for release later in the year.”
This year’s naming theme for badger cubs is fizzy drinks, and the Apex Park cub is now known as ‘Vimto’. She has adapted well, is now feeding independently, and is housed with two other cubs to support her social development.
Pauline adds: “I had forgotten how much work it is with so many feeds, but it was lovely to have a cub to look after!”
Secret World has experienced a sudden increase in badger cub admissions this month. After a slow start to the season, the charity recently took in three orphaned siblings following the discovery of their deceased mother, as Burnham-On-Sea.com reported here.
Within a few days, a further four individual cubs were admitted, one of which was found in Apex Park.
It comes as Pauline will be sharing her experiences during a special talk, titled ‘Badgers at Secret World’, to be held on Thursday 1st May at 2pm and 7pm in the Bluebell Barn at Secret World Wildlife Rescue. Admission is free, with donations welcomed for tea and coffee, and everyone is welcome to attend. Since 1989, over 1,000 badger cubs have been cared for at Secret World.
