The badger which had to be put down.
THE death of a badger, trapped in a snare near Freshwater, has sparked outrage from animal rights campaigners.
Farmer John Craddock found the animal near his home, barely alive and crying like a baby with a wire snare caught around its body.
"It must have been caught for quite some time as the snare had dug right into its body," said Mr Craddock, of Freshwater Fruit Farm.
"Its flesh must have been rotting because it smelt quite badly and there were maggots."
After seeking advice from the RSPCA, Mr Craddock placed the injured animal into a plastic tray and took it to Green and Forster's Veterinary Surgery, Carisbrooke.
The badger had sustained severe injuries from the wire snare as it struggled to free itself and the animal was later put down.
"I tried to be as gentle as I could as I lifted it into the tray but with every movement it cried like a baby," said Mr Craddock.
"Its screams were really distressing."
Simon Wild, of the National Anti-Snaring Campaign (NASC), said it was the second time an Island badger had died after becoming trapped in a snare in recent months. A badger died after being snared in Shorwell last year.
"The injuries show the badger had been in the snare for a long time and by law snares must be checked every 24 hours," said Mr Wild.
"Snares are cruel, old fashioned, outdated and sadly associated with the shooting of birds for sport.
"They should have been banned a long time ago."
The NASC welcomed Mr Craddock’s intention to petition Island MP Andrew Turner, calling for snares to be banned.
Reporter: emilyp@iwcpmail.co.uk