Category Archives: Badgers and bTB
Badgers: the debate continues
Badgers: the debate continues The threat of bovine TB to cattle is still as great as ever, with the latest statistics release from Defra highlighting its continued presence. The use of badger culling to attempt to reduce the incidence of … Continue reading
Badger cull: licences reissued by Natural England
In 2011, it was announced that a badger cull would be implemented to attempt to curb the spread of bovine tuberculosis. Licences were issued last summer, with culls initially scheduled to take place last autumn. Due to the combination of … Continue reading
Natural England Issues First Badger Cull License
Natural England yesterday issued the first license to cull badgers, under the Coalition Government’s controversial plan to allow free-shooting of the animals by consortia of farmers. Rather than vaccinate badgers, as is being trialled in Wales, in England the Government … Continue reading
Welsh Environment Minister announces programme of badger vaccination
Welsh Environment Minister John Griffiths yesterday launched the Welsh Government’s Strategic Framework for Bovine TB Eradication, which outlined a programme of badger vaccination to be introduced in the Intensive Action Area. The Minister said the decision to pursue vaccination as … Continue reading
UK Government ‘ignoring scientific advice’ by sanctioning badger culling
Lord Krebs FRS, Chair of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, criticised the UK Government on the Radio Four ‘Today’ programme this morning, accusing ministers of ‘ignoring’ scientific evidence by sanctioning a badger cull. Secretary of State Caroline … Continue reading
Badger cull on hold in Wales as Government awaits an independent review
The Welsh Government announced earlier this week that plans for a controversial cull of badgers in north Pembrokeshire would be put on hold whilst Ministers await the outcome of a science review. Professor John Harries, Chief Scientific Advisor to the … Continue reading
National Trust commence Badger TB vaccination programme
The announcement of a badger TB vaccination trial on the National Trust’s Killerton Estate has been welcomed by both farmers and local environmental groups. The four year programme which will commence this May aims to show that vaccination is a … Continue reading
Plans to revive badger cull in west Wales
Eight months ago plans to implement a badger cull in west Wales were put on hold following a winning appeal from the Badger Trust. The case has since been revived, and will tomorrow call upon Welsh Assembly Members (AMs) to … Continue reading
Welsh badger cull to face new legal challenge
The Badger Trust has been told that it can appeal against a Judicial Review’s decision to back the Welsh Assembly Government’s planned badger cull in Pembrokeshire. The cull aims to cut the rate of tuberculosis in cattle, but opponents say … Continue reading
New Report Casts Doubt on Effectiveness of Badger Cull
A new report, commsissioned by Defra and produced by Imperial College and the Zoological Society of London, casts doubt on the effectiveness of badger culling in reducing the incidence of bovine TB in the UK. The report examines the aftermath … Continue reading