The Government has revealed badgers will be culled in 11 new parts of England including Shropshire despite recently pledging to move away from culling.
Up to 70,000 badgers are expected to be shot this year in a flawed attempt to prevent the spread of bovine TB with around 6,000 healthy badgers expected to be shot across more than 50% of Shropshire.
The devastating news comes just days after the Government in England heralded a commitment to develop more sophisticated TB testing and months after announcing it would move away from culling badgers in favour of vaccinating.
Adam Grogan, Head of the RSPCA’s wildlife department said: “We are shocked that the Government is stepping up its inhumane and ineffective badger cull despite its recently announced commitment to “government-supported badger vaccination and surveillance”.
“It is appalling news that the cull is to be extended to another 11 regions, given the Government’s April announcement that it would move away from culling towards badger vaccination, the development of cattle vaccination, more frequent and improved cattle testing, better management of cattle movements and incentives to improve biosecurity.
“Initial target numbers suggest that up to 70,000 badgers could be shot this year. To add to the horror and cruelty of culls, recent analysis by badger expert Rosie Woodroffe suggests that over the past few years large numbers of badgers may have been shot at and missed, or worse, wounded and left to die. During last year alone, it is estimated that more than 3,000 (3,174) badgers were ‘shot but not retrieved’.”
Wildlife enthusiast and RSPCA Vice President, Chris Packham, added: “The badger cull is not the answer to stopping the spread of bovine TB amongst cattle. The RSPCA and myself have campaigned for many years against this cruel and ineffective method, which very sadly can result in badgers suffering unnecessarily.
“Not only that, but we owe it to cattle to get this sorted, as the longer it takes for the cattle vaccination to be developed, more cows will be removed from herds around the country due to bovine TB. The welfare of cattle is just as much a concern as badger welfare in this sorry state of affairs.”
Last year, the RSPCA produced a report Bovine TB: Not Everything is Black and White which included a number of recommendations on how the management of bovine TB could be improved.
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