Graeme Wilson who is fighting to be allowed to keep Harriet the badger. (Katielee Arrowsmith via SWNS)
By Talker
By Georgia Cook
A scientist is fighting to keep a badger he rescued in the wild — and drinks tea with in the garden.
Ecologist Graeme Wilson, 55, was called to rescue the “thin and dirty” cub after she was discovered starving in a cattle trough.
She was 100 meters (300 feet) from her sett and Graeme nursed her back to health — and called her Harriet.
He thinks she had previously been hand-reared and can’t be returned to the wild or she would be hurt or killed.
Gareme says she is now not nocturnal — and loves to play in the garden as he works.
He has tried to release her but said she “ran back and stood by the crate as if to say ‘take me home.’”
NatureScot has refused his application for an educational license to keep Harriet.
Graeme runs GW Ecology, a rescue and rehabilitation service at his home in Denholm in the Scottish Borders.
Harriet took to the bottle quickly, Wilson said. (Graeme Wilson via SWNS)
By Talker
He says the badger had taken to a bottle “very quickly” — and she must have been fed like it before.
Graeme said: “I was very concerned about her. I had previously rescued another badger who was weaker than her and didn’t make it.
“Even though it was so weak it fought me to take the bottle so I thought Harriet was very strange.
“I never engaged with her at all, I put food in, formula in the bottle, water, and just checked her from a distance to see if she was putting on weight.
“I never handled her and I didn’t want to encourage her being around people.
“They’re a clan animal so their used to being around a group.
“I tried to release her multiple times. On the second time she ran back and stood by the crate as if to say ‘take me home.’”
Graeme has conferred with other ecologists and vets who believe she had been previously hand-reared and then taken to a sett.
Graeme Wilson who is fighting to be allowed to keep Harriet the badger who he saved from starvation. (Graeme Wilson via SWNS)
By Talker
They say she has become habituated rather than domesticated which is why she ran to the nearest human structure she could find.
Harriet isn’t nocturnal as that is a behavior learned from parents.
She gets to walk around the garden for exercise a few times a day and follows Graeme around.
He said: “She’ll decide when she’s had enough and stands by the workshop door where she lives.
“She’ll get up to mischief as well, in a watering can or a bag if I’ve been doing some tidying up. She’ll go rooting through the bag.
“Harriet will nibble at people’s legs to take fleas of you because she has those natural behaviors of being in a clan, but she’s just doing them around humans rather than around badgers.”
Graeme applied for an educational license at the start of June but didn’t hear back until the end of September.
He wanted to take her to events if she was comfortable doing so, or create videos promoting badger conservation and education about finding young animals on social media.
Graeme said: “We don’t want young animals turning out the way she has.”
Harriet the badger with a cup in the garden of her savior. (Katielee Arrowsmith via SWNS)
After the application rejection Graeme has been trying to find a licensed zoo for her, but she would need to be tested and vaccinated which would take time.
He said: “If people are looking at her from behind a barrier and she sees them as her people, she’ll get very upset and stressed trying to get to them.”
Graeme spent a month concerned police would come to his door and take her away “heavy handed.”
He praised Police Scotland for being “understanding” despite having its “hands tied with the law.”
He said: “You can’t release an animal in captivity this weekend with all the fireworks.
“After this weekend if nothing changes, I have no choice but to release her.
“If she decides to stay around here that’s okay as she’s ‘released’ but I have grave concerns about her.
“I’m concerned she’s going to end up in the road or approach a person and it wouldn’t end well.
“This is not something I wanted. I did not want to have a badger or responsibility for a badger but unfortunately this is what has happened and my only concern is for Harriet’s welfare now.
“I just want the right decision made for Harriet.”
Graeme still hopes NatureScot will change its decision, as he has only agreed because of legal pressures.
Graeme Wilson with Harriet the badger. (Katielee Arrowsmith via SWNS)
By Talker
NatureScot said: “We are continuing discussions with Mr. Wilson and other relevant organisations to try and find a pragmatic solution to this individual situation.
“The welfare of the badger is, of course, key while we consider the circumstances of the case.”
The Scottish SPCA has warned the public not to attempt to hold a sick or injured badger.
A spokesman said: “Badgers can become aggressive if they are in pain or feel threatened; they can give a nasty bite and their sharp claws could cause serious injury, if you try to catch it.
“You should also contact us if you find a badger during daylight hours as they may be struggling.”
A petition calling for Graeme to be given permission for the animal has attracted hundreds of signatures.
It states: “When Harriet was well enough, Graeme made multiple attempts to release her back to undisclosed sett locations. These attempts were unsuccessful.
“Harriet became extremely distressed and appeared determined to return to Graeme and the environment she recognized as home.
“She also appeared uncomfortable around other badgers.”
Police Scotland has been made aware of the situation.
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