The Mystery of the Mystery of the the Strange Badger Deaths

  I think I may have had a brain-glitch with that title. In case you don't know what a badger (Mele meles) looks like...

Anyway, silly things happen when you are a naturalist and this was one of them -an old post but worth reposting.

Photo Chris Crafter

Back in February, 2009, Jon Downes of the Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ), sent me this message (I believe also posted on the CFZ web page):

"In past week we've had three badger kills in Glos which people cannot explain -they look like they've been precisely sheared in half and just fallen from the sky- no tracks, no blood, and no sign of the other half.  Those who've seen them feel cat is a possibility perhaps, and so too is human, but it's a mystery, even for the county badger specialist. I'm awaiting a pic from one of the locations."

 I believe that this was sent to me since a "cat" was felt to be a possibility.  By "cat", Downes meant a "non native cat" -puma or leopard.  

Firstly, I was stunned that this was even suggested because although there are cases where a large "non native cat" has decapitated a lamb with its bite a badger is something totally different. No normal wild living puma or leopard is going to take on a badger and the strength it has behind its claws -not in an area where easy prey such as rabbits, wild fowl or deer -particularly small muntjac deer (Muntiacus)- abound in numbers.

The idea of a large cat cutting a badger in half was just not feasible.

Human...possible since there are some very nasty types roaming around at night illegally hunting, however, the photographs would tell a story.

In the meantime, I contacted Gloucestershire Police force wildlife crimes officer who simply responded: "What? Where? When? Never heard of this!"

I then contacted Mr Keith Hutchin of the Gloucesterhire Badger Trust who had no idea what I was talking about.  He did, however, suggest that I contact Mr Tony Dean of the Gloucestershire Badger Group who would be the "local expert" and might have information. And so I wrote to Mr Dean.

Mr Dean telephoned me and we talked for around 25 minutes.  He told me that he had been observing badgers in the area for over 30 years which meant that he was the "go to man" if these incidents had taken place. 

Mr Dean had not seen any badger cut in half and had only heard of the alleged find from "a big cat fanatic" (name given) who had told him that a "cat" was responsible.  A decomposing badger (cause of death could have been illness or road traffic accident but it was too far gone to tell).

No "kills" or even a single mystery kill. As for part of an animal being dropped "from a great height"...that part of the tory smelt as bad as the decomposing badger would have.

The story was false from start to finish and when I asked the CFZ whether they had received the promised photographs there was silence.

I mention this since, yesterday, someone asked whether I had looked into the "mystery badger deaths" in Gloucestershire in 2009 as some sources said up to six were killed then it all stopped.

People involved in badger groups or badger watches in the UK are notorious for one thing: they will not disclose where badger setts are or precise numbers. Not only is this to protect badger from the vile Department of Environment Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) culls but also illegal badger baiting -and, yes, that does till go on. I support badger watchers silence 100%.

One thing that you can be sure of is this; had one or six badgers all been mysteriously chopped in half they would know about it as would police wildlife officers.

Faked story