Badgers head to town in search of shelter

Summer has brought new uninvited guests to Mountain Home -- badgers.

The Mountain Home Animal Shelter has responded to nine calls involving badgers and four removal cases. Last year at this time the shelter responded to 19 calls and had 18 removal cases.

The badgers have been spotted in areas all over Mountain Home, including North 4th East, McMurtrey, Pintail, Peregrine, North 6th East, Onati (near Legacy Park), North Haskett and Carrie Circle.

According to Bob Sellers, Mountain Home Conservation Officer for the Idaho Fish and Game Department, the badgers, who at five months are sent out into the world by their mothers, choose to make their way into town to find food and a new place to live.

In their search, the badgers have to deal with the current construction projects going on, causing them to continue their search.

Both Sellers and Lt. Randy Robinson of the Mountain Home Police Department, (who oversees activities at the shelter) feel that the badgers are not extremely dangerous, if left alone.

"People are often scared, thinking they are the devil, but if they are left alone, I don't see them causing any problems," said Robinson.

If badgers are located outside of town, Sellers recommends leaving them alone. If they are located inside of town Seller recommends calling the Animal Shelter at 587-2111 or calling him at 587-1644.