Politics6 mins ago
What's A Few Badgers Between Friends?
So, they're rolling out a badger cull trial in Gloucester...
http://
... And there will be protests, naturally. Will you be joining them? Or do you think the cull trial is worthwhile?
http://
... And there will be protests, naturally. Will you be joining them? Or do you think the cull trial is worthwhile?
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The number of deer isn't an issue Pix because they are not a protected species and so may be controlled on a rolling program without applying fr special licences and undergoing all this badger palaver.
Badgers were made a protected species back in the '70's to save them from the badgerbaiters.
Since then they have known no natural predators and so have become very succesful breeders, so much so that they have come into conflict with farmers.
I don't know of any farmer who would object to the presence of a few healthy badgers in the same way that they welcome the presence of a few healthy deer.
Badgers were made a protected species back in the '70's to save them from the badgerbaiters.
Since then they have known no natural predators and so have become very succesful breeders, so much so that they have come into conflict with farmers.
I don't know of any farmer who would object to the presence of a few healthy badgers in the same way that they welcome the presence of a few healthy deer.
I'll try and put the problem in a nutshell:
Bovine TB exists.
Cattle, badgers and some other species can carry it.
Cattle and the other species can be dealt with because they are not 'protected species'.
Badgers are a protected species and studies have shown that 19% of them (a figure of up to 33% was mentioned on the news last night) are infected nd can therefore re-infect the herd that you have just eradicated TB from.
Therefore they need special licences to be issued before they can be dealt with.
These trials and test culls are an attempt to find the best/cost effective way of dealing with this 'reservoir' of TB that exists in badgers and will continue to do so unless draconian measures are taken.
Bovine TB exists.
Cattle, badgers and some other species can carry it.
Cattle and the other species can be dealt with because they are not 'protected species'.
Badgers are a protected species and studies have shown that 19% of them (a figure of up to 33% was mentioned on the news last night) are infected nd can therefore re-infect the herd that you have just eradicated TB from.
Therefore they need special licences to be issued before they can be dealt with.
These trials and test culls are an attempt to find the best/cost effective way of dealing with this 'reservoir' of TB that exists in badgers and will continue to do so unless draconian measures are taken.
"I'm still not convinced we need to control numbers of deer, or badger. What is the problem with them.We need to start with ourselves first!"
You want to cull people?
I can't really get behind that.
We control populations in other animals when they're a threat to us, other wildlife we hold dear, or are suffering mass starvation.
Nature's way of population control is starvation.
Currently badgers may be proving a threat to our food chain. One way to show your displeasure, and to help the situation, is to stop eating beef.
You want to cull people?
I can't really get behind that.
We control populations in other animals when they're a threat to us, other wildlife we hold dear, or are suffering mass starvation.
Nature's way of population control is starvation.
Currently badgers may be proving a threat to our food chain. One way to show your displeasure, and to help the situation, is to stop eating beef.
TB is a danger to people, especially if it isn't vaccinated properly - you kill some of the virus, but what you leave is the strong Super TB which then causes even more damage.
This is what happens when TB gets out of control: http://
This is what happens when TB gets out of control: http://
If 1 in 5 (say, for ease) badgers has TB they are likely to infect all the other 4 when they come into contact with them. It therefore follows that the problem will be self perpetuating and could result in wiping out badgers completely in infected areas.
It would only take one infected badger to stray into an uninfected area.....
It would only take one uninfected badger to stray onto Khandro's infected ground......
All these points are addressed in the links I have posted.
It is not just a gratuitous slaughter, it is a genuine attempt to do the best thing in the long run for farmers, cattle and all wildlife.
It would only take one infected badger to stray into an uninfected area.....
It would only take one uninfected badger to stray onto Khandro's infected ground......
All these points are addressed in the links I have posted.
It is not just a gratuitous slaughter, it is a genuine attempt to do the best thing in the long run for farmers, cattle and all wildlife.
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