ifaw statement on badger cull figures

Philip Mansbridge, UK Director of IFAW, said: “It is shocking to hear that more than 32,000 British badgers were cruelly killed this year as part of the Government’s unscientific and ineffective badger cull. This number is at its highest ever, over 10,000 more than last year, after the Government expanded the legal culling areas to 32 places across England.

“These results follow a damning report on the Government’s Bovine TB policy, commissioned by the Environment Secretary Michael Gove, which found the current method of badger culling is continuing to fail both farmers and badgers. The report clearly stated that poorly secured fencing on farms and frequent trading of cattle were the main causes of the spread of TB in England, and it was wrong to blame badgers as having a measurable impact. In fact, the number of cattle slaughtered because of Bovine TB continues to rise year-on-year despite more badgers being unnecessarily killed.

“The long-term impact the cull will have on the badger population in the UK is immeasurable and we hope the Government will take immediate action to end the issuing of licences to cull badgers and work to find a solution which works for wildlife and farmers alike, before it’s too late for these beautiful creatures.”