'I think the most interesting observation was made to me by a senior politician who said "fine John we accept your science but we have to offer the farmers a carrot. And the only carrot we can possibly give them is culling badgers"' Professor John Bourne, Chair of the Independent Scientific Group on Bovine TB
Animal rights activists are preparing to take to the fields as the last ditch attempt to have the DEFRA sponsored badger cull stopped in the courts was thrown out. The collapse of the Badger Trust's legal initiative means that pilot culling schemes in Somerset and Gloucestershire will now begin, possibly as early as the end of this month.
The government's case is based on the dubious idea that culling badgers will reduce the spread of Bovine TB. This is widely regarded as a sop thrown to the farming industry to cover up the real reasons for the spread of livestock diseases – intensive farming practices.
Those with no faith in the legal systems ability to protect what is effectively the Britain's answer to the Panda have been getting ready for direct action. One website www.badger-killers.co.uk has already been the subject of an injunction after publishing details of farmers involved in the culling as well as photos of the rural retreat of Owen Paterson, the new environment secretary, who is moving the cull forward with all guns blazing. That website doesn't tell you anything anymore but mirror sites – apparently hosted offshore – have sprung up.
Anti-cull activists have started a night patrol programme saying “If you can commit to coming to one of the cull zones for a 6 hour patrol (typically 6pm until midnight) three times during the cull then we would only need another 69 people like you to keep a ten person patrol in a zone EVERY NIGHT. With high visibility jackets, 1,000,000 candle power torches, megaphones, video cameras and a serious attitude, we can stop this cull, please contact your local Animal Rights group or Hunt Saboteurs group; there will be people in those groups who will share your passion to stop this cull.”
There are even rumours of free parties inside the Gloucestershire culling zones, nothing to do with the animal activists of course but they are planning to have their largest Night Patrol on September 29th – a full moon.
The militant tendency of course already have their grilled-up black Landy ready to roll, but this time they're likely to be joined by a broad alliance of the concerned. The nation's favourite uncle David Attenborough has spoken out against the cull as has Brian May an astrophysicist out of the Freddie Mercury band.
The method of culling has yet to be decided but it is likely to be a mixture of trapping and shooting – both practices that have been successfully disrupted in the past.
For more - you have a choice Nice The Badger Trust, Nasty Stop the Cull & Probably Illegal Stop the Cull (mirror site).