Brockwatch

After moving to the RSPCA's Wildlife Hospital at Stapeley Grange in Cheshire, Ali and Ewan were joined by other orphaned badgers. Later in the year these badgers were on the move again, this time to the RSPCA Wildlife Centre at West Hatch in Somerset.

The RSPCA found a release site for the badgers in Somerset. Before the animals could return to the wild, they were tested for bovine TB as set out in the Badger Rehabilitation Protocol, a document drawn up by the Badger Trust, Secret World Wildlife Rescue and the RSPCA and endorsed by DEFRA, the British Veterinary Association, and farming bodies including the National Farmers Union. Three tests were carried out, with a month's gap between each test, to maximise the chances of infection being detected.

Finally, at the end of 2006, the group of four badgers were introduced to their 'soft release' site - a fenced off area the size of one and half tennis courts, containing an artificial sett made of straw bales. After a three week 'settling in' period, the fencing was removed. At this point it would normally be very difficult to monitor the activities of the released badgers. However, all four of these badgers were wearing radio collars and they were being tracked as part of an RSPCA research project! The aim of the project was to learn more about the movements and survival of released badgers.

The badgers were known by numbers rather than names, so we do not know the fate of 'our' badgers. However, the radio-tracking project continued through to February 2007. To begin with, the badgers all stayed close to their release site and returned to the artificial sett each morning to spend the day there. After a week however, and on the same night, all four abandoned the release site and moved off in different directions. The signal of 'Badger 3' was lost after four weeks, and that of 'Badger 1' was lost at the end of the eighth week. Those two badgers may still be alive and well, and may have integrated into existing social groups in the area. Sadly, 'Badger 2' and 'Badger 4' were both found dead, the first killed by a car on day 57 of the project and the other dying from an unknown cause on day 74. More information on the badgers' movements will be published in due course.

Although two of the four badgers died, the release should not be thought of as a failure. Young badgers face many challenges as they mature and find their place in 'badger society', and mortality is high. Two out of every three cubs born will die before they reach 12 months of age, and the average lifespan of a badger is just three years. Ali, Ewan and the other orphans could have died as young cubs if they had not been rescued. Instead they grew up playing with other badgers, and were given a chance to live a life in the wild where they belonged.