Prosecutions

If you know anyone who is committing, or planning to commit, crimes against badgers; or if you see suspicious activity at a badger sett ... make a detailed note of the people involved, including dogs, equipment, make, model, colour and registration number of any vehicles being used or parked nearby, and inform the Police via:

• Emergency Police 999
• CrimeStoppers 0800 555 111
• Emergency Badgerline 07581 075565

If you know of any injured badgers, first ring the:

• RSPCA 0870 5555 999 and then the Emergency Badgerline on the above number.

Importantly, please report ALL dead badgers - including road casualties, to the Badgerline. In the spring, female badgers may have dependent cubs, which we would try and rescue if we know about them.

Badger Digging

Badger digging involves the use of one or more small terriers which are fitted with special transmitter collars. This collar gives out a signal which can be picked up by a receiver held by the digger above ground. The terrier is sent down the sett to locate the badger. Contrary to popular belief, badgers are not vicious, but will defend themselves when needed. This is especially so of female (sow) badgers when they are pregnant or have young cubs.

Once the terrier has cornered the badger below ground, the digger receives a static signal from the dog's collar. He then knows where to dig in order to retrieve the dog and take the badger.

Badger digging leaves obvious evidence of an offence as the sett is destroyed, although the time taken to commit the offence increases the likelihood of detection. Ultra-modern forensic techniques (like the DNA analysis of individual badger hairs) can provide a real help to catch people involved in badger digging and related offences.

Lamping

Because of the increasing risks of getting caught digging, wildlife criminals are now turning to "lamping". This is where a high-powered spotlight is shone into the eyes of an animal to leave them disorientated and vulnerable. The criminals then use dogs, such as lurchers, to run along the line of the beam and pin the badger down and await the arrival of the men involved.

Having caught a badger, the criminals may then use it to fight (i.e. bait) their dogs; or they may take it away in a strong cloth sack or a cage until an organised fight can be arranged later.

Organised badger baiting meetings are often against pit bull terrier crosses; and usually result in horrendous injuries and death for badgers and dogs. Badger baiters can often make money on these fights because of illegal bets being placed on the outcome or various aspects of the fight.

Illegal Hunting

In recent years, various forms of hunting (with dogs) have now been made illegal, and restrictions on other forms of hunting made more onerous.

Prosecutions

The group has been involved in helping to prosecute several people who were involved in wildlife-related crime such as badger digging, badger baiting and cruelty to dogs.

As badgers and their setts are fully protected by law, we maintain a watch on the most "at risk" badger setts and have a hotline to Lancashire's Police Wildlife Officer so we can report potential criminal activity straight away.

Some members of the group are experienced Police Officers with good knowledge and experience of investigating wildlife-crime.

Other members of the group are very highly experienced in determining whether an area is an active badger sett, and they can effectively act as "expert witnesses" in court cases.

We also deal with Crimestoppers and with the RSPCA's specialist investigations unit. They are good enough to be able to pinpoint things like individual badger hairs and microscopic badger blood which can be enough proof for a conviction these days.