Wildlife Trust urges Ministers to revise TB eradication strategy in light of appeal judgment

13th July, 2010

The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales has today welcomed the announcement that the appeal brought by the Badger Trust against the Welsh Assembly Government’s (WAG's) badger cull proposal has been successful. The Trust now urges WAG to revise its strategy for controlling bovine TB (bTB) in Wales in the light of the appeal and sound science.

Sarah Kessell, chief executive of the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales, said “The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales has opposed the badger cull from its inception, because research has repeatedly shown that the costs far outweigh the benefits and that culling badgers could make the situation worse. Responses we have received show that the cull is also deeply unpopular amongst the general public and some landowners. It is also an unjustifiable cost in these times of financial austerity.”

“An alternative strategy is already available and licensed for use, in the form of an injectable vaccine, which presents a better long-term solution for less overall cost. We hope that this announcement today will provide an opportunity for the Welsh Assembly Government to re-examine the research available and consider revising their strategy for dealing with this disease”.

She added, “The report the Independent Scientific Group made clearly stated that culling can make no meaningful contribution to the control of bTB. All six Wildlife Trusts in Wales will continue to encourage vaccination and increased biosecurity as the key tools in reducing bTB in Wales.”

Story by The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales

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Image credit: Jon Bowen

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