Latest news
23/ 06/2010
Protest against badger survey company
Protesters gathered outside the Cardiff offices of the company thought to be carrying out preparations for the Welsh Assembly’s badger cull.
The protest organised by Bristol Animal Rights Collective met at the offices of Thomson Ecology, on Friday (June 18th), to oppose the company’s involvement with the planned cull of badgers in north Pembrokeshire.
Protest spokesman and wildlife consultant, Malcolm Clarke said: “Thomson Ecology has decided to accept money from the Welsh Assembly to go around identifying the badger setts to enable the killing of the badgers.”
He continued: “The cull is based on false science, and financially it’s completely uneconomic. They’re using the badger as a scapegoat, when the true cause of the problem is modern farming practises.”
Thompson Ecology declined to confront the demonstrators during the protest, and later refused to comment on the cull due to confidentiality.
Welsh rural affairs minister, Elin Jones, recently defended her decision to implement a cull.
She said: “Bovine TB must be eradicated. It’s blighted our cattle industry for far too long. Our comprehensive approach is based on the scientific evidence which shows that implementing strict cattle controls and culling badgers where necessary will substantially reduce TB in cattle."
15/ 06/ 2010
Show of opposition to badger cull
Over 200 supporters of the anti badger cull group , Pembrokeshire Against the Cull (PAC) attended a meeting on Monday night to discuss alternatives to the proposed cull.
Actor Jerome Flynn, South Wales West AM Peter Black and conservationist Dr Lizzie Wilberforce were amongst those to speak against the planned cull, at the meeting at Rhosygilwen near Cardigan.
Celia Thomas, chair of PAC, indicated the group’s approval of a vaccination of badgers to combat bovine TB, as an alternative to culling.
“We hope that the Welsh Assembly will reconsider vaccinating badgers. The vaccine is tested, ready and licensed, and would be cheaper to the taxpayer than culling,” she said.
The meeting was held just days after Assembly Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones agreed to delay the cull pending the result of an appeal by the Badger Trust over the cull’s legality.
She said: “In light of the fact that the hearing will now be held very quickly, I can commit to a delay in removing badgers until the judgement is delivered. I do so in anticipation of an early and positive judgement for the Welsh Assembly Government."
The Badger Trust will appeal the judicial review’s decision on June 30th.
09/ 06/ 2010
Fresh appeal against Pembrokeshire badger cull
The Badger Trust has been granted the right to appeal the decision to allow the Welsh Assembly government to cull badgers in Wales.
In April a judicial review allowed the cull to go ahead in the pilot area of north Pembrokeshire, aiming to help reduce the spread of Bovine Tuberculosis amongst cattle.
Jack Reedy from the Badger Trust said: “We are very pleased about the decision to let us appeal. We will fight the cull on the grounds of legality, in that we do not believe it will be of substantial benefit to anyone.”
He continued: “Whether the cull goes ahead, in light of the appeal is out of our hands, but we’ll be relieved if it is halted.”
But spokesperson from the Welsh Assembly Government said: "It is our intention to begin to cull badgers from the intensive action pilot area in west Wales as soon as preparations are complete."
The Welsh Assembly also expressed its disappointment with the Badger Trust’s decision to appeal, in light of the HighCourt judge’s dismissal , in April, of their complaints that the cull was not lawful.
Badger expert Michael Sharratt, who is involved with the appeal said: “The fact that the judiciary are prepared to listen to the appeal, gives us hope. It shows they are prepared to listen to us”.
02/ 06/ 2010
Cull not the answer: Badger Trust
A spokesman for the Badger Trust has warned that the Welsh Assembly’s plans to eradicate bovine tuberculosis “could make the problem worse.”
The warning comes as tensions mount over the imminent cull of badgers in north Pembrokeshire, to stop the spread of bovine TB.
The Badger Trust’s Jack Reedy said: “We have to state that the badger cull is not a solution and if there is any benefit, then it will be marginal.
He continued: “The Assembly is not doing the right thing by culling badgers, we have reason to believe that it could make the problem worse.”
The Badger Trust recently lost a high court legal battle against the cull, but is gathering support for a fresh campaign.
Yesterday Welsh Assembly Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones, in her column for the Western Mail said that the taxpayer has paid out nearly £100m in compensation for farmers who have lost livestock to TB over the last ten years.
Mrs Jones highlighted the need to tackle the disease “head on.”
But Jack Reedy from the Badger Trust said: “At the moment it’s better to do nothing and concentrate on a vaccination for badgers.”
