In what was described as an unusual and “grotesque” incident by the RSPCA, four badger skins were found dumped in the middle of a Gwent field.
The skins were found on Ochrwyth Mountain in Risca near Greenmeadow Cottages.
All the heads had been removed from the full-grown badgers and nothing remained of their corpses.
There was no evidence of blood near the badger skins which the RSPCA said suggested they had been killed elsewhere.
The skins were found by a passer-by at 2.15pm on January 28 and the police were informed.
The information was then passed on to the RSPCA just before 3pm.
RSPCA inspector Gemma Black said it was a grotesque scene and that the badgers must have suffered terrible deaths.
She said: “It is highly likely that these animals died as a result of badger baiting and that their heads and bodies were fed to the dogs of these criminals.”
Steve Clark, a member of Gwent Badger Group and director of The Badger Trust Cymru, said it was unusual to find badger skins like this and to particularly find four together in one location.
He said the area around Machen and Caerphilly were of particular concern to the Trust for badger-related incidents.
Badger baiting is a criminal offence which carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison or a fine of up to £5,000.
Anyone with information about this incident, is asked to call the RSPCA on 0300 1234999 in confidence or to call Gwen Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Source: South Wales Argus
