June 15, 2001 Badger mystery worries some in Marriott-Slaterville Residents fear animal may be stalking cats By MARK GRAY_ Standard-Examiner staff MARRIOTT-SLATERVILLE - A badger could be to blame for the disappearance of domestic animals in the area. According to city administrator Bill Morris, mysterious disappearances - and probably deaths - have been occurring for several years on the block of 700 South. There had been no explanation for it until one resident saw a "real good-sized" badger under his parked car one night. Les Syme was alerted to the animal when his children told him "the dogs got a badger trapped under the car." Syme, who didn't believe the children, grabbed a video camera to get footage of whatever the animal was. Originally he thought the animal was wild and wandered to his property. Then, a month ago, his son saw a badger with a cat in its mouth. He alerted the Division of Wildlife Resources and showed them video he had shot of the wild animal. He said the division told him the animal was definitely a badger, not a raccoon. "The differences between them is like an elk and a cat," Syme said. Syme said he's lost about 10 cats over the last year. Some residents, however, aren't convinced a badger is to blame. Bret Holley lost a cat nearly two months ago. He said he's never seen a badger in the town, but he has seen plenty of raccoons. "The last few years it seems like we've been overrun by raccoons," he said, "and they'll eat anything. I don't know if they have a particular taste for cat." Holley said he's talked to people who have said there's "not a chance" it's a badger, because if it was, there would be holes all over the city. "All I know is I came up a cat short," he said. According to the Web site www.enature.com, badgers are fond of rattlesnake meat, but mainly feeds on small burrowing mammals like squirrels and gophers. The Web site states that badgers and raccoons will generally back down from confrontation. The common raccoon, however, is a furious fighter that can defeat a single dog. The city, which is 72 percent agricultural, sees many wild animals throughout the year. It is not uncommon to see porcupine or deer, Morris said. In fact, he said his family has lost three cats, two ducks and two roosters in the past year. A poodle disappeared about two years ago. The city put a notice in its monthly newsletter to residents stating that there might be a problem. "All we're going by is people saying so," said Mayor Keith Butler. "If it's a problem, we certainly have to do something. "We're concerned and we want to protect our people. We want to tell them to be very alert and be cautious... We certainly don't want any little kids injured." You can reach reporter Mark Gray at 625-4239 or mgray@standard.net. 60