MAMMALS are mainly active at night perhaps because we humans are active during the day and have persecuted so many mammals. This is certainly the case with one of my favourite mammals -- the badger.

A large animal like the badger affected the imagination of our ancestors long before writing was invented.

Later on superstition about badgers grew as this poem shows...

Should a badger cross the path

Which thou has taken, then

Good luck is thine, so it be said

Beyond the luck of men

But if it cross in front of thee

Beyond where thou shalt tread

And if by chance doth turn the mould

Thou art numbered with the dead

This shows that the badger was both loved and feared and the modern view of badgers has not changed very much since. Most of us love the badger and agree that it should be protected. Badgers have been protected by law since 1973 and have increased steadily since. Evidence gathered by scientists proves that the badger does very little harm in the countryside, but those who know much less about them insist that they kill chickens and other livestock. This gives them an excuse to dig down into the badgers' home area, called the sett.

The badgers are not killed at the time of the digging but bundled in sacks and kept for what the cruel hunters call sport. The badgers are baited by terriers and those who watch them bet large amounts of money on which terrier will put up the best fight against the badger.

Those who take part should not just be fined -- they should be sent to prison.