The Wildlife Trusts are disappointed and saddened that the Government has issued new licenses to cull badgers in seven areas of England. These cover 33 existing areas and 7 new areas for 2021. To take one example, badger culling in Derbyshire continues and enters its second year where up to 3218 badgers could die this autumn.
Up to 75,000 badgers could be killed across England this year – taking the total to around 200,000 shot badgers since the cull began. The new licenses allow badgers to be shot and killed over the next four years in an attempt to control bTb in cattle.
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.
Helen Stace, Chief Executive of Herefordshire Wildlife Trust says:
“This decision flies in the face of previous Government commitments, public consultation and evidence from studies of badger culls and vaccination programmes. Herefordshire Wildlife Trust remains opposed to indiscriminate badger culling which is both costly and ineffective. We are hugely saddened at the prospect of the killing of up to 75,000 badgers”.
