This in from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Ed
The Wildlife Trusts have condemned DEFRA’s announcement that pilot badger culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire will continue, and that culling will be extended to a new area in Dorset.
They argue that in the two year pilot, the badger cull has been found to be repeatedly flawed in its methodology, its measures and its objectives – and that a programme of vaccination and protection and control measures would be safer for wildlife, cattle, and farmers’ livelihoods.
The Wildlife Trusts are calling on the Government to implement:
- better bio-security on farms
- stricter cattle movement controls
- funding of integrated and targeted badger vaccination programmes
- improved TB testing in cattle and
- development of a cattle vaccine.
The wrong way of tackling bovine TB
Stephen Trotter, Director for The Wildlife Trusts in England said,
“We are on the side of farmers in the battle against bovine TB. This is an awful disease and I understand the emotional and financial pain it causes.
“I have huge sympathy for those farmers, and their families, whose businesses and lives have been brutally affected. But this is the wrong way of tackling bovine TB and we strongly disagree with this decision.”
Stephen added,
“The Government’s decisions go against the scientific evidence and expert advice – and they disregard the weight of public opinion, which is against the culling of badgers. The published reviews of the pilot culls have shown them to be ‘ineffective’ and ‘inhumane’. Sadly, many people will today be infuriated, exasperated and angry about what is happening.
“The cost of the culls has been eye-watering; the Government must explain why it sees this as a cost-effective use of tax payers’ money, especially when there are less expensive and more effective measures available to them, like vaccination.”
Culling badgers is both cruel and ineffective
Debbie Tann, Chief Executive of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust said:
“All the evidence suggests that culling badgers is both cruel and ineffective in tackling bovine TB.
“We are very concerned that the cull is being extended to Dorset. Here in Hampshire we have been vaccinating badgers to prevent the spread of bovine TB from affected areas. Since there is currently no evidence of badgers carrying the disease here, we can get ahead of the disease by vaccinating properly.
“Thanks to the generosity of our members, the Trust recently began a programme of badger vaccination focussed on areas that have the highest potential risk. This, together with proper cattle management measures such as strict biosecurity, regular TB testing and movement controls is all part of what we see as commonsense and effective measures to protect both cattle and wildlife.”
Image: peter-trimming under CC BY 2.0
