This tiny badger cub is being nursed back to good health by Burnham-On-Sea wildlife carers this week.
It comes after a lady was washing up when her Jack Russell came bounding into her kitchen with the tiny cub in his mouth.
“The cub was cold and wet was dropped onto the kitchen floor with the dog owner having no idea where this little orphan lived,” Pauline Kidner, charity founder at Secret World, told Burnham-On-Sea.com.
“Sitting in the palm of her hand the lady thought that the cub had died but luckily the warmth from her hand had stirred the cub.”
Realising there was still hope she quickly contacted a local Badger Group for help and Little Star, as he’s been named, was swiftly transported to Secret World Wildlife Rescue in East Huntspill for immediate care.
The centre – which has experience in dealing with new-born cubs – is feeding him every two hours including during the night.
This is the first orphan of 2015 for the wildlife rescue centre, which cares for over 5,000 injured and orphaned animals every year.
Pauline added: “Badger cubs would not usually venture above ground until they are at least 10-12 weeks old so this tiny badger is very lucky to survive.”
“Despite being in an incubator Little Star is so small and without her mum that an additional hot water bottle is needed to snuggle up to.”
Meanwhile, Secret World will open its doors to the public for its first open weekend of the year during the Easter weekend which has a theme of ‘Badger Bonanza’. The event will be an opportunity to find out more about badgers and the work of the charity.
Pictured: Little Star being syringe-fed and, centre, being weighed at less than 100g! (photos by Victoria Hillman)
