ANOTHER dead animal has been left outside the home of Hampshire wildlife expert Chris Packham.

The Springwatch presenter returned to his cottage in the New Forest to find the corpse of a badger hanging from the front gate.

Mr Packham tweeted: "Always nice to get home after a long day at work to a warm welcome at the gate."

Appealing directly to the people responsible he added: "I'd be grateful if you have an issue with me and my views if you could express it without killing innocent animals."

Other people have taken to social media to voice their anger and dismay.

One person posted: "You don't deserve that but more importantly neither does the poor badger. People need to learn to discuss their issues in a civilised way rather than resulting to this."

Another social media user added: "We all have to stand up against this vile cruelty and behaviour."

Two months ago a dead fox was left outside the presenter's home.

Speaking at the time he said: "It appears that if you oppose the cruelty and illegality of fox hunting and those who club them to death, you don't just get social media abuse."

Mr Packham called the animal "beautiful" and added: "It seems that if you stick up for foxes, you get your comeuppance from people who still think it's a good idea to kill them."

In previous incidents the presenter received deaths threats and dead crows were left hanging outside home.

He was also forced to pull out of the New Forest's first Dogstival event, which was held at Pylewell Park, near Lymington, last May.

It is not clear what sparked the latest protest or why the culprits decided to use a badger.

Mr Packham once said that the aggression he has experienced "fuels" him.

He said: "It never makes me angry, depressed, worried, it makes me think they're doing these things because they're being backed into a corner and lashing out.

"I'm interested in getting results, I will plough on regardless."