Imagine this: it's night, in the historic center of Bratislava, on the busy Hodžovo námestie square, and a wild badger is slowly walking towards you. This is what the patrol officers of Mestská polícia (city police) saw last night — the animal was calmly walking around the square in the very heart of the Old Town.
The police reacted without panic: they escorted the badger to a safe place and returned it to its natural environment. According to the police, the animal reached the forest safe and sound, did not injure anyone, and did not damage anything.
Where did the animal come from in the city center
There is nothing unusual about this. Badgers are common inhabitants of Slovak forests, and Bratislava is surrounded by the Little Carpathians forest, so wild animals regularly "enter the city." In parks and on the outskirts of the capital, you can see foxes, roe deer, wild boars, and sometimes badgers — especially at night when the streets are empty.
Usually, the animal is lost, looking for food, and would be happy to be far away from people. Problems only start when the animal is confused, cornered, or injured.
What to do if you meet a wild animal
Do not approach or try to catch it. A badger may seem slow, but it bites very hard when it feels threatened.
Do not feed it or take photos from close up — give the animal space to escape.
Call the line 159 — this is the 24/7 number for Mestská polícia in Bratislava. The patrol will assess the situation and call animal control if necessary.
If the animal is injured or behaving strangely (unprovoked aggression, disorientation) — do not touch it yourself, as this could be a sign of illness.
More detailed information about the work of city patrols can be found on the Bratislava city website. And this nighttime adventure ended in the best possible way: the badger is in the forest, the city is safe, and the police probably received the cutest call of the week.
