Badger snaring: Police launch investigation as protected badgers are targeted in the Highlands near Inverness

In two separate incidents reported to police, a badger was caught in a snare and had to be put down and a badger sett near Inverness was blocked.

On Friday, March 19, 2021 an active badger sett was discovered to have been intentionally blocked with rocks in the Cnoc na Moine area of Blackfold.

The following day, in a separate incident, a badger was found with a snare wrapped around its neck near Kilmartin and St Ninians, Balnain.

The badger was taken to a local vet but had to be euthanized due to its injuries.

Police launch investigation as protected badgers are targeted in the Highlands.

Wildlife crime officer, Constable Daniel Sutherland, said: "Badgers are fully protected under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. It is illegal to wilfully kill or injure a badger or, damage, destroy or obstruct a badger sett.

"This appears a targeted action to remove badgers from the area.”

If you have any information on these incidents you should contact 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

A message from the Editor:Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.