Badger cull: New licences ‘to be banned after 2022’

Is it just me , I don’t understand why we have to wait until 2022 to end this brutal outdated practice ?

From the BBC

New mass badger cull licences are to be stopped after 2022 under plans to phase out culling of the wild animals. The environment secretary George Eustice has launched a consultation on the next phase of the government’s strategy to eradicate bovine TB (bTB) in England by 2038. The drive will instead focus on vaccinating badgers and cattle. The first cull zones were created in 2013 in Somerset and Gloucestershire. Mr Eustice said: “bTB is one of the most difficult and intractable animal health challenges that England faces today.”

Farmers said it was necessary to control the disease that devastates the beef and dairy industries. Current policy enables four-year intensive cull licences in defined areas, with scope for a further five years of supplementary culling.

In a statement to the House of Commons, Mr Eustice said last year more than 27,000 cattle in England were slaughtered causing “devastation and distress for hard-working farmers and rural communities”. “Badger culling is one of the most contentious and divisive policies within our bTB eradication strategy,” Mr Eustice added. The farming community has invested heavily in badger culling, which the evidence shows has played a critical role in helping to start turn the tide on this terrible disease.  “But we were clear that culling badgers indefinitely is not acceptable. 

“My proposed approach will enable us to complete the objective we set out to achieve when we started the culls. It will also support our stated intention of phasing out culling over the next few years.”

read the full story here

Meet the Model – Brian the Badger

GREY SQUIRREL

Here’s my photo of the week , the Grey Squirrel. This individual is one of a family group that live at the Meadow Hide. The Grey is certainly devices opinion but for me , this most visible of our wild mammals is entertaining and charming.

by phans66 May 20, 2022May 19, 2022

NOW OPEN

Now Open Our battle trying to stop the local fox population stealing the hedgehog food so far has not been very successful , with boxes being broken into on a regular basis. So it’s time to up our game with a new ” hedgehog cafe ” Last night the cafe opened it’s door for the […]

by phans66 May 19, 2022

WILDLIFE WEDNESDAY

Wildlife Wednesday, 18 th May 2022 We are half way through May already , where does the time go ? The meadow is shooting up really fast . Despite my efforts at the weekend strumming the pathway down to the hide I still managed to get totally soaking wet from the knees down , due […]

by phans66 May 18, 2022