A BADGER has died in a suspected poisoning in Hadleigh Country Park.

Park rangers found the suffering male badger and immediately called the South Essex Wildlife Hospital.

Sue Schwar, who runs the animal charity, said she believes the badger had been poisoned.

She added: “We don’t know for certain that that is what happened.

“It would be quite expensive to find out what killed him, but he had the signs of being poisoned.

“He had bleeding gums, was fitting and was dehydrated.”

Sadly, the badger died a couple of days later, despite their best attempts to save him.

Miss Shwar said although it was not rare for badgers to be brought to the hospital - with them caring for about one badger per week - it was rare to have one that had potentially been poisoned.

She added: “I don’t know why anyone would want to do this.

“People don’t realise that it is a criminal offence to poison animals.

“I don’t know whether the badger ate some poison meant for another animal, or if it had been put down especially for badgers.

“It is a very cruel thing to do.”

In some areas, including Devon, badgers have been culled in an attempt to stop the spread of Bovine TB.

However, Miss Schwar said there was limited evidence that badgers do spread the disease, which humans can contract.

This is not the first time an animal has died after being poisoned at Hadleigh Country Park.

Seven-month-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel Hope had to be put down after eating poisoned chicken during a walk around the popular park in February last year.

It is believed the puppy ate chicken which had been contaminated with rat poison and despite being rushed to the vets, had to be put down due to the seriousness of the poisoning.

There are also other instances of dogs being poisoned in the Southend area, including in Southchurch Park, Southend, and Cherry Orchard Way, Rochford, and posters were put up warning people about poisoned food being left in Leigh last year.

The South Essex Wildlife Hospital is a charity, in Thurrock, which says it is dedicated to putting the “life” back into “wild”.

It runs entirely from public donations to rescue and rehabilitate all forms of wildlife from across South Essex, including swans, birds, reptiles and foxes.

For more information on the charity, or to report and injured animal, phone 01375 893893.

To donate, visit southessexwildlife.org