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Springwatch’s Chris Packham finds dead badger tied to his gate by sick vandals


Springwatch star Chris Packham found a dead badger outside his home (Picture: Twitter)

Springwatch presenter Chris Packham has been targeted once again by sick vandals, who tied a dead badger to his gate.

The animal rights campaigner posted heartbreaking pictures of the dead animal strung up outside his home in the New Forest on Twitter on Friday.

He wrote: ‘Always nice to get home after a long day at work to a warm welcome at the gate.

‘I’d be grateful if you have an issue with me and my views if you could express it without killing innocent animals.’

The vile act was presumably intended as a protest against Chris’ opposition to badger culls in the past.

In 2013, the wildlife TV presenter said it was ‘shameful’ that 5,000 badgers would be ‘needlessly slaughtered’ in West Somerset and West Gloucestershire

Chris posted the photos on Twitter to highlight the horrific act (Picture: Twitter)
He spoke out against the ‘innocent killing’ of the animal (Picture: Twitter)

‘It is both sad and shameful that when night falls and the setts of southern England stir their gentle folk will be needlessly slaughtered,’ he said.

‘That in spite of science and public will the wrath of ignorance will further bloody and bleed our countryside of its riches of life.

‘That brutalist thugs, liars and frauds will destroy our wildlife and dishonour our nations reputation as conservationists and animal lovers.’

This is not the first time Chris has been targeted by shocking acts of animal cruelty.

In December, a dead fox was left on his doorstep in protest of his anti-fox hunting views.

Chris has been targeted by vandals many times over his animal rights work (Picture: Twitter)

Sharing the horrific discovery in a video, Chris said: ‘It seems if you stick up for foxes, you get your comeuppance from people who still think it is a good idea to kill them.’

‘Wouldn’t it be good if we could just stop this fox hunting once and for all?’ he asked.

‘It’s illegal but it carries on and when you campaign against it, unpleasant things like this happen.’

Last April, dead crows were left outside the TV star’s home after he backed a legal challenge to restrict the shooting of ‘pest’ birds.

Last year, vandals left two dead crows hanging from his gate (Picture: Twitter)

It is thought hunters may have placed them there after he ignited fury from farming groups by supporting a change to three general licences which allowed the shooting of 16 species of birds — including crows, magpies, Canada geese and wood pigeons.

In response to the shocking act, Mr Packham said he refuses to back down on his environmental campaigning.

He told the Guardian: ‘I’m not going to be intimidated.

‘People like me with Asperger’s are not affected by this sort of thing. It doesn’t weaken our resolve. We’ve seen it this week with the trolling of Greta Thunberg.

‘We don’t care about that sort of stuff – it’s a complete waste of time but it’s unpleasant for my family.’



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