Horror and considerable unrest among the nature managers of the area where a strange white substance was found on Saturday at various badger fortresses. Most likely it is about poison that has been intentionally scattered. The big question is whether the animals have eaten from the powder, whether they are sick or still live. “Hopefully we were there on time.”
Forester Sem van Hoogstraaten already took a look at the badger fortresses early on Sunday morning. Like his colleagues, he is in tension after the find. At the largest badger castle, they discovered the white stuff at just about all forty entrances. Until Armdiep in the corridors the stuff has been left. The powder smells like fish. Probably fish oil has been added to lure the ties.
Wild cameras
On Saturday there was a large cleaning campaign until late in the evening, where the suspected poison with a special vacuum cleaner was removed. It is normally used for drug waste in nature. Wild cameras were also hung around the fortresses, so that it can be monitored whether there is still activity of badgers.
Unfortunately there was nothing to see on the images on Sunday. “It may of course be that the animals did not show themselves last night and stay underground after all the commotion,” he says. “But I’m very worried.”
At one of the outputs, somewhere in a meadow, fresh traces could be seen. “That means that there is still life,” said Sem.
The three wildlife cameras will stay in the coming days. “Only in a few days do we have certainty,” says the forester. “It sounds cru, but when it starts to stink, it is wrong. Dassen his clean animals. If there is a dead animal, then his peers will take him out of the castle and bring him up. And that will be seen.”
Colleague forest keeper Alwin Brandt called the discovery on Saturday ‘unprecedented’. “This is a targeted attack,” he said. “It’s now a breeding season, so the badgers all have young.” According to the forest ranger, it looks like “unabated badger hatred.”
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Patrol
In the coming period, the forest rangers of Staatsbosbeheer will keep a close eye on the area. “There are many badgers in this piece of nature. And we don’t know if the person in question is trying again.”
They have no idea who is behind the cruel action. Hopefully one of the local residents or a witness reports with a tip.
Staatsbosbeheer immediately took action after the find.