Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has expressed profound dismay at the government’s decision to continue the badger cull in Derbyshire.
The trust is calling for an urgent shift in strategy, emphasizing that badgers are not the main contributors to the spread of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle.
“We are appalled to hear that the badger cull will once again go ahead in Derbyshire,” a spokesperson for Derbyshire Wildlife Trust said.
“We understand the devastation that bovine tuberculosis (bTB) causes to affected farmers and the wider farming community, but we need to find the right mechanisms to control the disease. However, badgers are not the primary cause of the spread of bTB in cattle.”
The government’s recent strategy, announced on August 30, aims to end the badger cull by adopting a scientific approach and accelerating the development of a cattle vaccine. Despite this, the trust argues that the strategy lacks urgency.
“Thousands of badgers will be needlessly killed whilst the cull is allowed to continue until new measures are rolled out and take effect,” the spokesperson added.
Since 2014, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has managed a successful Badger Vaccination Programme, collaborating with landowners and partners to provide a more humane alternative to culling.
However, the trust notes that badger vaccination is only a temporary measure.
“Badger vaccination was only ever a short-term solution to protect this iconic and much-loved species whilst we campaigned for the government to end the badger cull and accelerate the rollout of a cattle vaccine and place greater emphasis and investment on livestock measures,” the spokesperson explained.
The trust also criticized the government’s plan to establish a new Badger Vaccinator Field Force, suggesting it could distract from more effective measures.
“The government’s plans to establish a new Badger Vaccinator Field Force will not protect badgers unless the cull is ended. It risks being a distraction from the measures that are truly needed to support farmers and protect badgers,” the spokesperson stated.
Data from the trust’s vaccination programme indicates that cattle-to-cattle transmission is the primary cause of bTB infection and spread.
The trust urged the government to focus on improving cattle biosecurity and rolling out a cattle vaccine as key steps in addressing the disease.
“We call on the UK Government to end the cull and focus on the work needed to support farmers to improve cattle biosecurity and roll out of a cattle vaccine,” the spokesperson concluded.
