'RUFF', a badger cub, is believed to have died on a nature reserve after spending much of its life entangled in plastic waste.

The young cub was first spotted with its 'plastic necklace' in April this year, by a Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) volunteer who was using a camera to monitor the sett.

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Footage taken by Nicolette Dowler showed a mother badger (or sow) emerging from the sett with some of her cubs – including Ruff - who were estimated to be around 10 weeks old.

Julia Lofthouse, BBOWT’s mammal projects manager, and her team started putting peanuts around the sett to encourage the cubs out in the hope of catching Ruff with a net.

Later that month the camera captured Ruff tucking into the peanuts, but the tangled cub was not caught.

For several weeks, BBOWT team members worked with the rescue team from Oxfordshire Badger Group and made attempts over five separate evenings to capture Ruff with a net, but the cub never ventured close enough to be caught. 

BBOWT then brought forward its planned badger vaccinations at the site in the hope that Ruff would be trapped for vaccination and during the process his plastic collar could be removed.

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The team put out traps, but by the time the cubs were independent and confident enough to go in them, camera footage indicated that only two of the cubs were still alive from the original litter of six.

Ruff was nowhere to be seen and is presumed to have died.

Estelle Bailey, Chief Executive at BBOWT said: “People don’t always realise the devastating effect littering has on the natural environment, but this tragic case shows exactly how it can harm our precious wildlife.

“We need more nature everywhere – not more litter. We urge everyone to follow the countryside code - respect, protect, enjoy and please, take your litter home.”

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