CULL TO ARMS

Badgers in Wales face extermination over the next twenty years if proposed culling goes ahead. The culling of badgers relies on the false pretext that it will prevent the spread of bovine TB (See SchNEWS 610). Badger Trust Cymri have used the Freedom of Information Act to view scientific briefings to the Welsh Minister for Rural Affairs, Elin Jones, who announced the cull. Far from recommending badger culling, it said that killing around 2500 badgers across a 300km square area is only likely to prevent 19 out of an expected 270 TB incidents over five years, that it cannot be cost effective, and that they should “learn to live with the disease... while applying proportionate measures to reduce TB incidences.”

* There will be a National Rally For Badgers outside the Welsh Assembly Building (Debating Rooms) on June 28th, 1pm, tel 0117 944 1000, http://viva.org.uk/badgers