Category Archives: Wildlife Disease
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
Wales Announces Pilot Badger Cull Will Start This Year
The Welsh Rural Affairs Minister this week announced that a pilot scheme to cull thousands of badgers in Wales will start later this year, after the badger breeding season has finished in May. The £9m pilot cull will take place … Continue reading
New Research Aims to Shed Light on Red Squirrel Decline
Veterinarian Tim Dale has begun a PhD at the University of Liverpool, part funded by the National Trust, to investigate why the deadly squirrel pox virus is destroying red squirrel populations. He will investigate how the disease is transmitted to … Continue reading
Badger Vaccination to Begin in 2010
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Hilary Benn, has announced (19 March) that next year will see the implementation of the first stage in Defra’s plan to vaccinate badgers against bovine TB. The disease costs the farming industry millions … Continue reading
Government Backs Battle Agaisnt Plant Diseases
The government has pledged £25 million to help eradicate the plant diseases Phytophthora kernoviae and Phytophthora ramorum, which are spreading across the UK. Phytophthora kernoviae and Phytophthora ramorum are fungus-like pathogens which cause potentially lethal infections in oak and beech … Continue reading