TREVOR WEEKS: Orphan badgers and foxes, and a happy ending for buzzard

You can tell Easter is almost here as WRAS welcomes in its first orphan badger and fox cubs.
Baby badger from near Hailsham SUS-180328-100011001Baby badger from near Hailsham SUS-180328-100011001
Baby badger from near Hailsham SUS-180328-100011001

Last week we were called to a badger cub found in a wood off the Cuckoo Trail in Hailsham.

The finders took the small furry bundle home and kept it warm until our casualty manager, Chris, arrived.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It was quickly assessed and taken back to our hospital where it was gently warmed in our intensive care therapy unit.

Badger cub expert Annette Risley at Folly Wildlife Rescue was contacted and they very kindly agreed to take her on.

Katie Nunn Nash, our orphan manager, came in and took over the badger’s care and continued warming it and then introduced some specialist milk replacer.

After being stabilised, fed and warmed, Katie took the little one to Folly.

We have also had our first fox cub of the year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

We took a call in the early morning Thursday regarding this youngster after it was found outside a property in Hastings.

Rescuers attended on site and assessed the cub, who was very cold, dehydrated and had an empty belly.

He was taken back to our orphan unit and placed in one of our brooders where Katie worked hard to get his temperature back up.

He was given fluids and then once warmed moved on to puppy milk.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Throughout the day he continued to perk up and Katie and Chris wanted to try and reunite the little fella with his mum.

So they camped out with the little cub and sat and waited.

The cub was put in a container with heat pads but after seeing countless badgers but no foxes and just before 2am, the decision was made to bring him back in.

Katie will now hand rear him and hopefully he will be joined by friends at some point soon to form a social group.

Rescuers were called to a difficult rescue at Langney Pond at the weekend.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

WRAS received a call just before 4pm on Sunday to reports of a swan with weights hanging from its beak.

When rescuers arrived the RSPCA was already in attendance but due to a crowd hadn’t been successful.

So our rescuers offered to continue to wait and to monitor the swan as the RSPCA inspector was inundated with other calls.

The swan was with its partner and was very wise to what we rescuers were attempting to do.

Patience was the key.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The swan gradually grew more and more trusting, getting closer and closer as we offered food.

Chris waited till the right moment.

As the swan’s head went under water to eat the food, Chris took his opportunity and grabbed the swan and lifted him out of the water.

Rescuer Hannah helped gain control of the swan and it was quickly assessed.

Our vet, Mike, was contacted as the hook as in the mouth and this was easily removed and cut free.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After a night in care the swan was returned back to the pond behind Langney Shopping Centre.

The Great Diver that was admitted to WRAS recently has been released by RSPCA Mallydams.

The poor bird came to WRAS covered in fishing tackle which our care team removed and gave emergency first aid too.

Once settled we transferred him to RSPCA as they have better facilities for these kind if birds.

He was released back to the wild last weekend.

Excellent work by all those involved.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

You may remember a few weeks ago we received a call from Network Rail after a member of staff carrying out a line inspection between Buxted and 
Uckfield Railway Stations found a buzzard which they believed may have struck a train.

Several days after being admitted the bird started to feel better and needed more space, so moved into one of our indoor enclosures.

We were concerned at first about the shoulder but just over a week after admission the buzzard was able to fly up onto high perches and regained full use of the wing.

When reassessed with our vets we were really pleased the bird had recovered so well.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

So on Friday last week, after just over two weeks of care, the buzzard was taken back and released next to Buxted Recreation Ground as close to where the buzzard was found as possible and released.

You can check out the video of the release along with other rescues on our You Tube Channel.

Related topics: