When Heath was first discovered, he was unresponsive – fighting for his life, covered in fly strike, and frighteningly still. How long he had been lying there, lifeless, we don’t know. But what mattered most was that he was found.
Rescuer Lee wasted no time. He rushed straight to Heath’s side and carefully transported him to the safety of our veterinary team.
Heath’s temperature was unreadable, a critical sign of how fragile his state was. Any badger that can be assessed without sedation is always a serious concern – but sedating him, when his body was already so weak, could have been devastating.
With no obvious injuries, and his condition not the worst we’ve ever seen, the mystery remained: had Heath eaten something he shouldn’t have? All we could do was provide immediate, intensive care and hope his body responded.
Placed in the warmth of an ICU pen, Heath began his slow recovery. Those first days were critical. We held our breath, giving him every chance we could, never knowing if he’d pull through.
And then – he did.
Within a couple of days, Heath began to respond. Once he started eating, he didn’t stop! He quickly made the most of the free food, filling his strength back up.
As he improved, we moved him into a larger pen, closely monitored by CCTV to ensure there were no lingering effects. For a week, he feasted on a mix of badger favourites — peanuts among them — and soon showed he was ready to return to the wild.
Lee, the rescuer who picked Heath up in such a desperate state, had the honour of releasing Heath back to the very area he came from.
From being unresponsive and on the brink of death, to roaming free again in the wild – Heath’s story is one of resilience, quick action, and the incredible teamwork of rescuers and vets.
Welcome back to the wild, Heath. You’ve more than earned it.
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