This was the moment a badger was rescued from a concrete ledge next to the M5 motorway by local Burnham-On-Sea wildlife carers from Secret World Wildlife Rescue.
The volunteers from the charity arranged for the M5 motorway carriageway to be temporarily closed near Clevedon in north Somerset to enable the badger to be safely netted and taken away.
This video shows the unusual rescue underway by the team.
Pauline Kidner, founder of Secret World Wildlife Rescue, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “A member of the public noticed a badger curled up on the side of the elevated M5 between Clevedon and Easton in Gordano.”
“This was at 5pm so the badger had been on the M5 all day. It was in a typical badger position, with its head covered by its paws, so we knew there was every chance it was still alive.”
“Positioned on the cement ledge, if it were to fall there was a drop of 100 metres or more.”
“Staff from Secret World alerted the motorway police and we were safely accompanied in our animal ambulance to where the badger was.”
“Traffic was stopped and our staff were able to net the badger and quickly had her safe inside a badger cage.”
The badger has since stayed with Secret World Wildlife Rescue at its facilities in East Huntspill near Highbridge for a couple of days, where it was checked by their vet and found to be uninjured.
Pauline adds: “I’m really pleased to say she has now gone home and hopefully won’t go wandering up the motorway again! At least that is one badger who has been given a second chance.”
