IT is a social animal, happy to share its home with other creatures, and some even bury their own dead.

Although ferocious when provoked, a trait exploited for badger-baiting, the European badger is generally a peaceful animal that has been known to share its burrows with other species such as rabbits, red foxes and raccoon dogs.

But for centuries the badger has been persecuted by humans, and a new report has revealed the cruel extent to which people will go to abuse the animals.

Now a nationwide police crackdown on the criminal gangs and sadists who persecute badgers is being launched.

Simultaneous events in Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales later this month will expose the cruelty badgers suffer – and the need for the proper recording of wildlife crime.

Meanwhile, the intelligence-led police crackdown – Operation Meles – will gather evidence of badger persecution and target offenders.

The UK Badger Incidents 2009-2010 report reveals how one man chased a badger with his car, then drove off the road and into a wall in a bid to kill it, and how mounted badger remains have been offered for sale on eBay.

Parts of Scotland are said to be at the heart of badger persecution, with many perpetrators travelling long distances in gangs to commit offences.

Ian Hutchison, the report’s author, species protection officer at Scottish Badgers, and the UK Crime Prevention lead on Operation Meles, said: “Badgers are not only cruelly baited but also sealed in setts and buried alive, snared, shot, poisoned and tortured, but most of these crimes go unreported.

“We have already had 50 incidents in Scotland, so you are probably looking at an average of one a week we are aware of.

“But we cannot be aware of everything, because the nature of wildlife crime is that [offences] are committed in rural areas and in areas where people are not noticed.”

Mr Hutchison added: “Badger-baiting is unfortunately something people have always done. It is almost a cultural thing. People use badgers to test how big and strong their dogs are.

“There are organised fights in which betting takes place, but quite often it’s the value of the dogs which is to the fore. Some dogs are worth a lot of money if they are good fighters.”

Under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004, people convicted of the most serious badger-related offences face unlimited fines and up to three years in prison.

But Mr Hutchison said: “Scotland’s badgers are the most protected in the UK and there are people coming to court now and being dealt with, but it is very difficult to catch them and get evidence beyond reasonable doubt.”

Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson said: “Not only does badger-baiting involve the violent killing of a protected species, but specially trained domestic dogs used for it are often badly injured and their owners do not seek appropriate veterinary treatment for fear of prosecution, thus continuing the cycle of cruelty.”

Strathclyde Police Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said: “I entirely support the aims of Operation Meles in combating a cruel and depraved practice that has no place in modern society. The Scottish Police Service has an important part to play in the fight against this form of criminality.”

Scottish SPCA Deputy Chief Superintendent Tom Gatherer said: “We actively target badger baiters and are heavily involved in the clampdown on this crime.”

l A public meeting will be held at the Lighthouse in Glasgow at 11am on September 20 to highlight badger cruelty.