Badger Cull on the cards?

The Badger (Meles meles) is perhaps my favourite animal in the UK. They are an elusive species and even I have only seen them on a handful of occasions.

There has been a link between Badgers and Bovine Tuberculosis. The Badgers act as carriers and reservoirs of the bacteria. They help to spread the disease amongst the UKs cattle population. TB is currently at epidemic proportions on many farms and Farmers are looking to cull the Badger to help eradicate the disease and save their herds.

There have been many long term surveys of the link between Badgers and the spread of TB. A recent report detailing a long term study revealed that a cull was not an appropriate way to control the spread of TB however this month the Governments chief Scientist has come out in favour of an organised cull.

To be successful many farmers want a complete cull of all badgers in vast areas. It is only in this way - essentially a local extinction of the species in an area that TB may be effected. This I believe is erroneous. The overwhelming scientific data suggests culling actually increase TB as missed badgers leave the arae carrying the disease and it is incredibly difficult to kill every badger in every sett.

There is also the question of humane tactics. Gassing is sometimes prefered but is impractical which leaves trapping which can leave a badger in agony until discovery or live capture and shooting.

It is my guess the government will attempt to please both sides and sanction a limited cull which will have little or no impact on TB and will result in the needless death of badgers.

Farming is in a difficult place at the moment and that is no thanks to the government and I understand the despair of loosing a herd to the disease but surely the best approach is vaccination of herds and using the money that would have been spent on a cull to compensate farmers.