SWWR_newsletter_no40_press:Bluebellsettnews37_pages.qxd 23/06/2009 20:16 Page 8
SWWR news
Badger Bonanza
This year Pauline was a little spoilt as This year again we have cubs
Virginie Boyaval came from France to that have come to us from Wiltshire,
spend two weeks learning how to Gloucestershire, Yorkshire,
look after badger cubs and so she Staffordshire, Cornwall, Dorset,
was the main carer for little Jonathon Derbyshire, Devon and Somerset.
and a cub from Cornwall called Boo. At one time we had ten cubs in the
Virginie’s main aim is to get the kitchen (not for long thank goodness!)
badger protected in France but she One cub made the most of the badger
has a long way to go as there is mattress and slept on top of the pile.
much badger persecution in her We follow the badger protocol
country. They even hold an annual to ensure that our cubs will be free
badger digging championship when from disease when they finally get
teams compete and over 50 badgers released. I remain amazed at the
are dug and killed over one week-end. continued never ending persecution
She is a very brave lady and has of badgers be it by the media,
even gone on these events to get politicians, veterinary surgeons or
footage for her film which she uses in despicable badger diggers and
schools and through talks in groups baiters. Indeed one of the rescue
to make people realise the cruelty centres that we work with has been
that goes on. Virginie hopes to come told by their vets that they will no
back in October see Jonathon being longer treat badgers for them other
released with his family group. than to euthanize them. Such closed
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