New Forest Explorers Guide - a final Badger battle of the night

3rd April, 2025 (4.17am)
This composite video shows the sow that has cubs underground here, leave the sett to forage - she was badly injured during battles earlier in the night but that doesn't seem to affect her mobility.
Whilst she's away, her main persecutor arrives, prowls around, but shows no inclination to go underground, suggesting that it is not the cubs that are the target of his aggression. He eventually departs.
The sow returns and goes underground, only for the boar to return with at first one and then a second companion, both of whom show little enthusiasm for fighting.
The boar, however, despite being understandably nervous, again takes on the sow that, to her great credit, steadfastly defends the sett entrance and the cubs within.
The boar eventually tires of the conflict and departs, leaving the sow and cubs alone, at least for the imminent hours of daylight.
Sadly, however, all is not well as will be seen during the following night.