The badger Cull and bTB

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The badger cull and bTB

Our view on the badger cull and bTB

The Wildlife Trusts oppose the badger cull and believe that it is an ineffective tool in the fight against bovine tuberculosis (bTB).

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is very conscious of the hardship that Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) causes farmers and the need to find the right mechanisms to control the disease. However, we believe that a badger cull is not the answer. Instead we want to see cattle and badgers being vaccinated.

We are asking people to donate to ourĀ Badger AppealĀ Ā and we continue to call for the cull to be stopped.

September 2023 Update - Wildlife charity continues badger vaccination programme

October 2022 Update - Stepping up to protect badgers and livestock

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust continues their badger vaccination programme this year as an alternative to culling these native mammals.

The vaccination programme, which originally started in 2013, costs the wildlife charity about Ā£5,600* to run per year. The charity is asking for help from supporters to raise awareness and funds to continue their efforts to vaccinate badgers.

The badger vaccinations reduce the risk of badger to cattle transmission of bovine tuberculosis (bTB), protecting farmerā€™s livestock and reducing the need for culling wildlife.

The Independent Scientific Group research from the Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) showed that badger culling can cause the disease to spread more widely, as the animalsā€™ territorial boundaries are disturbed; leading to the increased movement of badgers.

Jeff Sim, Head of Reserves and Species Recovery for Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, says:

ā€œThe Trust believes that the vaccination of badgers against bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is currently the most effective way of reducing the risk of badger to cattle transmission of the disease.

"We are also conscious of the hardship that bovine tuberculosis (bTB) causes in the farming community, and the need to find the right mechanisms to control the disease. We call on the government to stop the cull of this iconic animal and propose the alternative of investment of wide scale vaccination.ā€

25 per cent of the European badger population is found in the UK, so we have an international responsibility to conserve them. Since 2013, over 176,000 badgers have been culled in the UK.

Editor's Notes

Links to Independent Scientific Group Research:

https://peerj.com/preprints/2336.pdf

https://peerj.com/preprints/2376.pdf

DEFRA's latest figures:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bovine-tb-badger-control-policy-value-for-money-analysis/badger-control-policy-value-for-money-analysis-2022

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bovine-tb-summary-of-badger-control-monitoring-during-2021/summary-of-2021-badger-control-operations

The Badger Trust:

https://www.badgertrust.org.uk/post/badger-trust-outraged-as-latest-cull-figures-reveal-record-proportion-killed-by-inhumane-shooting

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*Programme perĀ annum cost recalculated on 07/10/2022, previously the figure was Ā£5000 per year, but cost of materials have increased due to inflation, the Covid 19 pandemic, and the cost of living crisis.

4th October 2021 - This yearā€™s badger cull is set to be the largest yet.

Scientific evidence has proved the culling of badgers is ineffective in fighting bovine tuberculosis among cattle.

Itā€™s time for the UK Government to deliver on its commitment and fast track the transition from badger culling to vaccination in England.

The main cause of bovine TB, an infectious disease that affects cattle, is from cattle to cattle transmission. Badgers are not the main culprit.

Instead of badger culling, we want the Government to:

Ā· Develop and deliver a badger vaccination strategy

Ā· Roll out a cattle vaccine

Ā· Improve testing of cattle for bTB and limit the movement of cattle across the country

Ā· Ensure higher standards of biosecurity on farms to prevent the spread of bTB

Earlier this year, Defra launched a public consultation on proposals to help eradicate bTB in England.

More than 40,000 people responded to the consultation asking the Government not to grant any new intensive badger cull licenses, and instead prioritise vaccinations.

Despite overwhelming public opposition to the badger cull, the Government granted seven more licences this year.

We want the Government to follow the scientific evidence, by prioritising vaccinations and ending culling.Ā 

For the past decade, Wildlife Trusts have been undertaking badger vaccination programmes on our nature reserves and in the wider countryside in partnership with vets, farmers, and landowners.

But with 140,000 badgers already culled, and the possibility of that total reaching 200,000 by the end of the year, the Government needs to support badger vaccination on a much larger scale by developing and delivering a badger vaccination strategy. In Staffordshire, 5,000 more badgers could be killedĀ this year alone.

We need MPs to carry the message to the Environment Secretary George Eustice MP that the public wants the Government to fast track its transition from culling to vaccinating.

Click here to use our template email to write your MP and ask them to speak up for you in Parliament. You can add your own comments to the email. The more you personalise it, the more likely your MP is to take notice.

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10th September 2021 update

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is extremely disappointed that the Government has issued new licenses to cull badgers in seven new areas of England, including one in Staffordshire. This means that there are now four areas in the county where culling will take place. Up to 5,100 more badgers could be killed in Staffordshire this year

Across England up to 75,000 badgers could be killed this year ā€“ taking the total to around 200,000 shot badgers since the cull began. Ā 

The Wildlife Trusts believe there is still a lack of evidence that killing badgers reduces the spread of bovine TB in cattle and a report by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust last year suggested the evidence used is flawed and inaccurate.

Read more on our latest badger cull update hereĀ 

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August 2021 update

We have resumedour badger vaccination programme this summer to help reduce the risk of badger to cattle transmission of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) and show that vaccination is a viable alternative to culling the wild mammals.

The Trust and the wider Wildlife Trust movement is continuing to urge the government to halt their flawed policy which leads to tens of thousands of badgers being killed every year.

The vaccination programme is underway at two of the Trusts nature reserves in Staffordshire.

Monday 12th July 2021 update

Last week's news of the start of clinical trials of a cattle vaccine and skin test for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle appears to be a step in the right direction.

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust urges the Government to end the needless culling of badgers immediately. The Wildlife Trusts have opposed the culling of badgers as a solution to the problem of bTB in cattle, and instead have called on the Government to implement a cattle vaccine, review how cattle are transported around the country to ensure measures are in place to prevent infection spread from cattle to cattle, and fund badger vaccination across the UK.

140,000 badgers have been culled since 2013 across the country and with culling set to continue until 2025 under current plans, that number is likely to double.

We wait with interest to see the next step of the trials and if they help put an end to the cull, which is something we have been opposed to since day one.

You can donate to the Trust's Badger Vaccination programme here https://www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk/badger-appeal Read more about Staffordshire Wildlife Trust's badger updates and our advice on how you can contact your MP to ask them to urge the Government to stop the cull here https://www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk/wildlife/badger-cull-and-btb

28th June 2021 - Government approves badger culling to 2026 and ignores public consultation

Today, theĀ Government announced that it will continue to issue licenses to kill badgers over the next four years. This will put 130,000 animals at risk of being shot.

Todayā€™s announcementĀ follows a public consultation earlier this year. With the support of The Wildlife Trusts, over 39,000 people responded to the Governmentā€™s consultation and 36,958 of those went on to email their MP urging the Government to stop issuing badger cull licenses immediately.

Read more hereĀ 

10th March 2021- Governmentā€™s plan to phase out badger cull must mean end to cull licences now

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is urging people to respond to a consultation calling upon the Government to stop issuing badger cull licences with immediate effect. Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is urging people to respond to a consultation calling upon the Government to stop issuing badger cull licences with immediate effect.

Recent Government proposals suggested an end to granting cull licenses in 2022, but this could still result in another 130,000 badgers being killed over the next four years.

As cull licences last up to four years, the culling of badgers isĀ likelyĀ not to end until at least 2026.Ā Over this period, 12,000 more badgersĀ couldĀ be culled in Staffordshire and 130,000 UK-wide killed needlessly. 2,791 Staffordshire badgers were culled under the DEFRA licence in 2020.

Based on their analysis of the consultation, The Wildlife Trusts are calling on the Government to:

1. Stop issuing badger cull licences immediately. This will bring an end to the badger cull sooner than proposed, saving tens of thousands of badgers.

2. Implement a cattle vaccine. Cattle vaccination offers the best long-term way to reduce bovine TB in the cattle population.

3. Review how cattle are transported around the country and ensure measures are in place to prevent infection spread from cattle to cattle.

4. Fast track the transition from culling to badger vaccination

The Wildlife Trusts are calling on the public to respond to the consultation which ends on 24th March ā€“ and help end the cull. This is the latest step in the fight by The Wildlife Trusts to end the killing of badgers, a protected species.

The Wildlife Trusts have always been firmly opposed to the badger cull and believe that it is an ineffective tool in the fight against bovine tuberculosis (bTB). To date, over 140,000 badgers have been culled [2]. The proposals recently announced by the Government as part of a consultation process will result in approximately another 130,000 badgers being killed, taking the total to almost 300,000. The total badger population in England and Wales was estimated to be around 485,000 in 2017 [3].

VisitĀ www.wildlifetrusts.org/stand-up-for-badgersĀ to respond to the Government consultation on the badger cull ā€“Ā before 24th March 2021.

Respond to the cull consultation nowĀ 

28th January 2021 Update

Experts at Staffordshire Wildlife Trust are frustrated with the Governmentā€™s timetable to end the Badger Cull, calling the latest update misleading.

On Wednesday the Government finally laid out its plans to phase out the cull. However, rather than setting a clear date for the cull to end, it was announced that no new cull licences will be issued after 2022.

This leaves the door open for countlessĀ new badgerĀ cull licences to be approved before the end of 2022. As cull licences last up to four years, the culling of badgers isĀ likelyĀ not to end until at least 2026.Ā Over this period, 12,000 more badgers will be culled in Staffordshire and 176,000 UK-wide killed needlessly. 2,791 Staffordshire badgers were culled under the DEFRA licence in 2020

Whilst Staffordshire Wildlife TrustĀ welcome the Governmentā€™s commitment to ending the Badger Cull,Ā thousands of badgers will still be culled for years to come as a result of the latest announcement.

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is calling on the Government toĀ end the culling of badgers immediately.Ā  They also want to seeĀ the Government set up a UK-wide programme ofĀ badger vaccination alongside the continued work to introduce a cattle vaccine and incentives for better biosecurity around cattle movements.Ā The Governmentā€™s own research has shown that culling badgers is not the answer to bTB andĀ does not address the primary cause of outbreaks; cattle to cattle transmission. Vaccinating badgers is cheaper, more humane and more environmentally friendly.

7th September 2020 update

We are deeply disappointed following the Government's announcement today that thousands of healthy badgers will again be shot in this yearā€™s expanded cull despite their promise to move away from lethal control.

This is the largest ever seasonal cull and will bring the total shot to 35% of the UKā€™s badger population, with more than 70,000 badgers shot this autumn across the UK. Three cull zones have been reissued in Staffordshire as part of the announcement and the number of permitted badgers culled could be as high as 5515 this year in the county.

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust remains adamant that a cull is not necessary for the control of bTB. Alternative approaches including vaccination should be fully implemented. Culling does not address the primary cause of outbreaks of bTB, cattle-to-cattle transmission.

The Trust will continue their badger vaccination programme this year after starting it in 2013

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Read our full responseĀ 

July 31st 2020 Update

2020 has seen Staffordshire Wildlife Trust continue its badger vaccination processĀ 

TheĀ Trust has long-campaigned against the culling of badgers and advocates the development of a cattle vaccine instead, along with DEFRA-funded badger vaccination and incentives aimed at improving biosecurity on farms and during the movement of cattle.

While we welcome the news that the Government is looking to phase out the badger cull and replace with a cattle vaccine, we still have a number of concerns.

We are continuing to call for an immediate end to badger culls.

If, as is suggested, we have to wait until 2025 at the earliest for the cattle vaccine to be made more widely available, we feel this is too long to wait.

Time is of the essence here. The Governmentā€™s own research has shown that culling badgers is not the answer and vaccinating badgers is cheaper, more humane and more environmentally friendly.

Despite the announcements from Government, we have yet to see any real progress from them outlining concrete plans and proposals, and progress appears slow.

In March, it was announced that the Government would bring in measures to phase out the badger cull and to stop the cattle-to-cattle transmission of the disease on farms and during cattle movement.

But there has been no further progress on this since the announcement.

We call on the Government to engage with organisations like Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and who have been vaccinating badgers for years.

Read more hereĀ 

September 2019 update

TheĀ Trust has expressed deep concern after it was confirmed an area in Staffordshire has been included in the expansion of the badger cull.

Proposals to extend licensed badger culling in the county have beenĀ approved by Natural England. The news comes just a year after it was announced the badger cull was being extended into Staffordshire. Government data showed that 3,979 badgers were killed in the county in 2018.

The Trust believes culling badgers is not the answer and are passionate in our campaign to oppose the cull. Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is very conscious of the hardship that bovine tuberculosis (bTB) causes in the farming community and the need to find the right mechanisms to control the disease. However, we believe that a badger cull is not the answer.

New research, based on official data and produced by a group of leading vets and academics, shows that confirmed incidents of bovine TB in the Gloucestershire, the original culling pilot area where culling started six years ago, rose by 130% in 2018 compared with the previous year.

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust was one of the first Trusts to adopt a programme of badger vaccination and will not allow a cull to take place on any of its nature reserves. The Trust is keen to work with landowners and let them know there is an alternative to the cull. TheĀ Trust wishes to hear from anyone interested in carrying out vaccinations on their land instead of the cull.

The charity is continuing to ask for donations to help support its work in vaccinating badgers against bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in Staffordshire. Anyone who can contribute to the Trustā€™s badger appeal should visitĀ www.justgiving.com/badgerappeal

The Trust are also recommending that youĀ contact your local MPĀ and call on them to bring a stop to the cull. This can also help to influence further culls.Ā 

May 2019 update

Plans are in placeĀ to vaccinate badgers in June / July 2019. Staffordshire WildlifeĀ Trust believes that vaccination of badgers against bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is currently the most effective way of reducing the risk of badger to cattle transmission of the disease.Ā 

Ā Please donate to our appeal so we can vaccinate as many badgers as possible

DonateĀ 

March 2019 update -

The Wildlife Trusts call for more investment in badger vaccination.Ā Read more here

December 2018 update

Government dataĀ on the badger cull show thatĀ 3979 badgersĀ have been killed inĀ Staffordshire and around 32,601 in England!

WeĀ urgeĀ the Government to halt their flawed policy. Killing wildlife is not the answer.Ā 

We are actively vaccinating badgers in Staffordshire. Please support our work by donating to our appealĀ https://bit.ly/2BulON7

November 2018 update - The Wildlife Trusts' response to the Bovine TB Strategy Review.

Whilst welcoming the review's recommendations for a changed emphasis in the governmentā€™s strategy for eradicating bovine tuberculosis (bTB), The Wildlife Trusts are extremely concerned that it also recommends that badger culling should continue. This flies in the face of robust scientific evidence and we urge the government to halt their flawed policy which leads to tens of thousands of badgers being killed every year.

Ellie Brodie, Senior Policy Manager of The Wildlife Trusts says:

ā€œThe Wildlife Trusts believe that cattle and not badgers should be the focus of efforts to eradicate bTB. We support the reviewā€™s recommendation that the focus of the strategy should be shifted to addressing the transmission of bTB between cattle. This is the main route of infection. Only 1 in 20 cases of bTB herd infections are transmitted directly from badgers [1], so culling badgers is not the answer. Several scientific studies have demonstrated that culling increases the prevalence of bTB in the badger population [2,3], and results in it spreading to other areas [4,5,6]. We believe that more must be done by both the government and farmers to improve farm biosecurity and cattle movement controls.ā€

Ellie Brodie continues:

ā€œBadger vaccination should be used strategically, with more resources invested to roll out a widespread vaccination programme. Vaccination has the potential to reduce bTB infection prevalence in the badger population [7], and hence bTB risks to cattle, without the harmful effects associated with culling such as increased prevalence of TB in badgers plus spreading the disease [8,9]. The review highlights the potential for a large-scale badger vaccination programme as an alternative to culling which The Wildlife Trusts welcomes. The government should do more to support rolling vaccination out to more areas of the country.

The Wildlife Trusts have proved that badger vaccination can tackle bTB in badgers, and Wildlife Trusts have demonstrated itā€™s do-able. Twelve Wildlife Trusts across England and Wales conducted badger vaccination programmes between 2011-2015*. In this time, we vaccinated more than 1500 badgers. The largest programme is run by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust who train lay vaccinators on behalf of the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

The Wildlife Trusts are ideally placed to work with the government and farmers to deliver badger vaccination at a wide-scale.

The Wildlife Trusts call on the government to:

  • Halt the badger cull now.
  • Invest in and promote a strategy for badger vaccination. This should be led and funded by the government, across England.
  • Invest more time and resource in supporting improved farm biosecurity and movement controls.
  • Accelerate development of more effective tests for bTB in cattle and put serious investment into a bTB cattle vaccine. This is a cattle problem, not a wildlife problem.

*Hampshire & Isle of Wight; South & West Wales; Shropshire; Gloucestershire; Leicestershire & Rutland; Staffordshire; Berks, Bucks & Oxon; Warwickshire; Cheshire; Derbyshire; Dorset, and Nottinghamshire.

More information about the badger cull is available onĀ www.wildlifetrusts.org/badgers.

Editor's notes

Which Wildlife Trusts are currently leading on the vaccination of badgers? Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust; Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

Badger Vaccination: Whilst vaccination doesnā€™t cure a badger of bTB it does slow the progression of the disease in an individual animal, and lowers the likelihood that the infection will be passed on. Badger vaccination can reduce the chance that a badger will test positive for bTB by as much as 76% (1). The Wildlife Trusts welcome the Governmentā€™s announcement that there will be enough supplies of vaccine to allow Defraā€™s Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme to resume in 2018.

Cull Zones: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Defra, has granted licenses in England to cull badgers where thereā€™s a high risk of cattle being infected with bTB. Badgers are being culled because they can carry bovine Tb and pass on the disease to other animals; however, badgers are not the main route of infection for farmersā€™ herds - that comes from cattle to cattle contact. There are now 32 cull zones in the following counties: Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire and Somerset. This also includes one cull zone in a Low Risk Area in Cumbria.

Unsatisfactory evidence to prove that the badger cull is working: This review, led by Sir Charles Godfray, referred to a study published in 2017 to show that wide-scale, non-selective badger culling is working [10]. This secondary analysis on a small dataset, suggests that culling might be reducing TB inside cull zones and increasing it on adjoining land, as in trial culls. However, the studyā€™s authors cautioned that their findings should not be used to draw any conclusions about the effectiveness of the badger cull. Furthermore, results quoted by a Defra Minister in September 2018 drew conclusions based on data that hadnā€™t been properly analysed by an independent scientific body. This means that it is not possible to say that any reduction in bTB incidence has been caused by the badger cull as they could be down to other factors; from improved testing regimes to more effective cattle movement controls.

References:

[1] Badgers are responsible for around 6% of all new bTB breakdowns in cattle. See: Donnelly, CA & Nouvellet, P., 2013. The Contribution of Badgers to Confirmed Tuberculosis in Cattle in High-Incidence Areas in England. PLoS Currents: Outbreaks.Ā http://currents.plos.org/outbreaks/article/the-contribution-of-badger-to...

[2] Woodroffe, R et al., 2006. Culling and cattle controls influence tuberculosis risk for badgers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 103, 14713-14717.

[3] Woodroffe, R et al., 2009. Bovine tuberculosis in cattle and badgers in localized culling areas. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 45, 128-143.

[4] Donnelly, CA et al., 2006. Reduce uncertainty in UK badger culling. Nature, 439: 843-846.

[5] Donnelly, CA et al., 2003. Impact of localized badger culling on tuberculosis incidence in British cattle. Nature, 426: 834-837.

[6] Jenkins, HE et al., 2007. Effects of culling on spatial associations of mycobacterium bovis infections in badgers and cattle. Journal of Applied Ecology, 44, 897-908.

[7] Carter, SP et al., 2012. BCG Vaccination Reduces Risk of Tuberculosis Infection in Vaccinated Badgers and Unvaccinated Badger Cubs. PLOS One, 7: e49833.

[8] Woodroffe, R et al., 2016. Ranging behaviour of badgers Meles meles vaccinated with Bacillus Calmette Guerin. Journal of Applied Ecology, 54: 718-725.

[9] Lesellier, S et al., 2006. The safety and immunogenicity of Bacillus Calmette-GuƩrin (BCG) vaccine in European badgers (Meles meles). Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, 112: 24-37.

[10] Brunton et al., 2017. Assessing the effects of the first 2 years of industry-led badger culling in England on the incidence of bovine tuberculosis in cattle in 2013ā€“2015. Ecology and Evolution. 7: 7213ā€“7230. Available here:Ā http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.3254/full

September 2018 Update

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust has expressed extreme dismay after receiving confirmation that proposals to extend licensed badger culling in our county were approved by Natural England.

The Trust believes culling badgers is not the answer and are passionate in our campaign to oppose the cull. Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is very conscious of the hardship that bovine tuberculosis (bTB) causes in the farming community and the need to find the right mechanisms to control the disease. However, we believe that a badger cull is not the answer.

This year, badgers are now at risk in Staffordshire and Cumbria, in addition to the existing areas of Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset,Cornwall, Devon, Herefordshire, Cheshire and Wiltshire.

As a result of this major expansion of badger cull, 40,892 badgers could be killed by the end of 2018, more than during the last 5 years of the badger cull combined.

The countyā€™s largest nature conservation charity, who were one of the first Trusts to adopt a programme of badger vaccination, will not give permission for a cull to take place on its nature reserves and are currently undertaking a badger vaccination programme on a number of locations across the county.

The organisation believe that the governmentā€™s strategy is flawed because bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is primarily a cattle problem, not a wildlife one, and makes no sense at a time when a review of the government strategy which drives the culls ā€“ the bovine TB eradication strategy ā€“ is still underway.

Scientific research has shown that badger culling could be counterproductive.

Julian Woolford, Chief Executive, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, said: ā€œIt is unacceptable that the government has not waited for the results of their own review ā€“ which we understand is to be published imminently ā€“ before forging ahead with another year of ineffective and expensive badger culling. The badger cull is a dangerous distraction from addressing the main route of bTB transmission in cattle which is between cattle.ā€

Ellie Brodie, Senior Policy Manager, The Wildlife Trusts said:

ā€œThe Wildlife Trusts have been involved in this debate for over ten years. In 2008 we successfully persuaded the Labour Government not to go ahead with a badger cull. In 2012 we helped stop the initial badger cull pilot in Somerset and Gloucestershire. Simultaneously, we have led the way in demonstrating that badger vaccination would be a far more effective route, accompanied with strict biosecurity controls, movement controls and robust cattle testing regimes.

ā€œWeā€™re calling on the government to invest in medicine, not marksmen. The costs of killing badgers are much higher than vaccinating them ā€“ it costs Ā£496.51 to kill a badger compared with Ā£82 to vaccinate a badger.ā€

The Wildlife Trust movement has opposed badger culling for well over a decade and most recently have written to Secretary of State, Michael Gove, to highlight the flaws of the badger cull and request that the cull be ended in favour of strategic and widespread badger vaccination schemes, and to invest in developing a cattle vaccine. Yet again, this has not happened.

June 2018 Update

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust was dismayed to hear about the proposals to extend licensed badger culling in our county.

In addition to these proposals, the government has announced it will allow badger culling to take place in low-risk areas of England.

We remain very conscious of the hardship that Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) causes in the farming community and fully support the need to find the right mechanisms to control the disease. However, we do not believe that a badger cull is the answer. Scientific research funded by the Government has shown that badger culling, unless carried out in line with strict criteria including the requirement to be across very large areas, could be counterproductive.

We have strongly put our case forward during the consultation process on why we feel a badger cull is not the answer and are maintaining a very close eye on the outcomes.

We will not give permission for a cull to take place on our nature reserves and are currently undertaking a badger vaccination programme on a number of locations across the county.Ā Ā 

SWT summer magazine 2018 article

SWT's Head of Conservation Delivery Helen Dale shares the Trustā€™s views on the badger cull issue and answers some commonly asked questions for our summer 2018 magazine.Ā  The article can be viewed on the links below.Ā 

SWT Summer magazine Badger cull article - page 1

SWT Summer magazine Badger cull article - page 2

The Wildlife Trusts oppose the badger cull and believe that it is an ineffective tool in the fight against bovine tuberculosis (bTB).
Badger - Nov 2018 report update

Andrew Parkinson/2020VISION

Tackling the bovine TB problem

Scientific research funded by the Government has shown conclusively that badger culling, unless carried out in line with strict criteria including the requirement to be across very large areas, could be counterproductive.

Large-scale badger culling trials show an initial worsening of the disease due to territorial boundaries being disturbed leading to increased movement of badgers. Over the longer term, there may be a positive impact of a 12 - 16 per cent reduction of bTB in cattle, but this still leaves at least 84 per cent of the problem.Ā 

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust believes therefore that the disease should be tackled by the following measures:

  • Cattle vaccination:Ā The development and deployment of a cattle vaccine is the long-term solution to bTB.
  • Badger vaccination:Ā Until cattle vaccination is available, the use of an injectable BadgerBCG vaccine is curently the most effective way of tackling badger to cattle transmission of the disease.Ā 
  • Biosecurity:Ā All possible measures should be pursued to prevent disease transmission on-farm.

What Staffordshire Wildlife Trust isĀ doing

Badger vaccination:Ā Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is working on a five-year badger vaccination programme on two of its nature reserves.

Lobbying the Government and MPs:Ā The Wildlife Trusts have been campaigning both nationally and at a local level, and lobbying the European Commission to change regulation relating to cattle vaccination.

Encouraging our members to take action:Ā We have been encouraging members to campaign and write to their MPs and MEPs to call on the cull to be stopped and investment in cattle and badger vaccination instead.

SWT carrying out a Badger vaccination

Image: Andrew Parkinson 2020Vision

What you can do

Our badger vaccination programme

The Trust is working to vaccinate badgers on two of our nature reserves.

Find out more about how we vaccinate the badgers from an article inĀ Staffordshire WildlifeĀ members' magazine. Click the link below!

The vaccination programme costs around Ā£25,000 to run for four years. We need your help to fund this important work - to pay for essential veterinary supplies, equipment and staff training.

Make a donation today.

How we vaccinate badgers

Badger - find out more about the cull

Photo by Andrew ParkinsonĀ 2020visionĀ 

Keep up to date with the cull

Click the link below to find out more about The Wildlife Trust and the badger cull.Ā  You can also sign up to Staffordshire Wildlife Trust's enewsletter here to hear how you can help with our upcoming badger campaignsĀ 

Find out more