Police fear vigilantes in 'Big Society badger cull' in the Westcountry
Action by farmers in bovine TB hotspots in the Westcountry, labelled a "Big Society badger cull" by a Labour shadow minister, could be open to abuse, according to a police assessment.
The National Wildlife Crime Unit, which is helping formulate a culling programme, is worried that vigilante groups without licences to cull would roam the countryside shooting badgers at will.
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In its assessment the unit states: "There is a very real danger of illegal badger persecution being carried out under the pretext of culling activity.
"Devon and Cornwall were identified as hotspot areas and there is concern that political acceptance of this method may see farmers managing the problem themselves without obtaining a licence."
The "Big Society badger cull" label came from Labour shadow minister Tessa Jowell, who said the idea of people wandering the countryside carrying shotguns would not be acceptable, particularly in areas which were popular tourist destinations.
She added: "I'm not sure what it does to promote tourism in Britain – or encourage people to visit the countryside."
Nearly 40,000 cattle were destroyed last year as a result of testing positive to bovine TB, and farmers are angry that the Government has not yet announced a cull of badgers, following a lengthy public consultation last autumn and winter.
Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman has delayed a statement on a cull until after the local elections, though an agenda was expected to have been announced in February.
A cull, viewed as virtually a certainty when the Coalition Government was first elected, is now by no means a done deal – with farmers concerned that Mrs Spelman could duck out of a potentially explosive situation.
That would be disastrous for British livestock farming, said South Hams beef producer Richard Haddock, who farms at Kingswear and is the Devon rural affairs spokesman of the Federation of Small Businesses. He said he believed the Government was attempting to play down the risk from the disease, while dithering over ways to tackle it.
"But if you look at what is happening on the ground it is very, very frightening" he said. "The fact is we are looking at an animal health epidemic which could be as severe as BSE."
In the Government's consultation document it was proposed to cull 70 per cent of all badgers in 150-square kilometre control areas, with possibly three of them in the South West at first. Properly trained and supervised groups of farmers would be licensed to cull, by shooting and cage trapping, and there would be a closed season during breeding. Individual licences to cull would last for four years.
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by Houfous, North Cornwall
Saturday, April 23 2011, 10:25PM
“This story isn't about whether the cull will work, it's about whether the muppet brigade will take the law into their own hands and begin killing them regardless. It's a no-brainer, they already do and they will do so without fear of repercussion once the proper cull begins.
Personally I think if a cull is needed then it should be done, but not by those who already are killing them as these people are lawless and careless. Unfortunately they'll be off the leash once the cull proper begins.”
by Jake, Kernow
Friday, April 22 2011, 11:27PM
“This cull is not about extinction of the badger species and never will be. This is about controlling disease. Culling will only play a part in hotspot areas where the disease is endemic. Other areas where we have clean badger setts (and hence cattle controls are successful) will be left well alone or be vaccinated.”
by Richi Lewis, Nottingham
Friday, April 22 2011, 8:17AM
“a cull is not the answer. Why not use the money to vaccinate the live stock instead of compensating them once their live stock develops an issue, I can't see how destroying a species will stop infections spreading as badgers are not the only ones who carry TB. If a farmer sees a badger etc on his land and believes it to be a threat to livestock then by all means take measures to prevent it ie shoot it. but to hunt down and kill a species almost to extinction just in case it spreads TB is stupid and moronic.”
by Richi Lewis, Nottingham
Friday, April 22 2011, 8:08AM
“Badger culling is not the best idea the Government has had. Vaccinations are the only way to go, badgers are not the only creatures who carry virus's that could potentially harm livestock, instead of compensating farmers if their cattle become infected or affected by something why not use the money to get the vaccinations out to the farmers. If all the badgers are gone it will then only be a short while before the farming community say it is another wild animal causing problems with their stock. Prevention not extinction is the only way to go.Some people complain about the initial costs and would prefer to just kill the problem but it won't solve anything. I have no issue of a farmer shooting an animal seen on its land if the said farmer thinks it's stock is under threat but hunting and killing these animal just because they *MIGHT* cause a problem is just cruel and unnecessary.”
by Jake, Kernow
Friday, April 22 2011, 12:21AM
“Yawn, good to see the old stereotypes being dragged out again. It's funny how people stuck in the past with their beliefs think that they are "enlightened" enough to ridicule others.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2011/04/21/bovine-tb-and-badger-culling-%E2%80%93-myth-busted/”
by Houfous, North Cornwall
Tuesday, April 19 2011, 1:10PM
“They already do kill them anyway and dump them by the sides of the lanes to make it look like road-kill. (Look for the bullet hole next time you pass one)
So the difference will be? Why would we expect these yahoos to begin behaving responsibly now?”
by Urban Leprechaun, Devon
Sunday, April 17 2011, 9:49AM
“Interesting that it is the police who are talking about the possible illegal shooting of badgers. If people involved in conservation were to say this it would be dismissed out of hand by those (including Westcountry papers) who consider that the world of farming can do no wrong.”
by Andy, Bristol
Friday, April 15 2011, 4:59PM
“Why have a closed season during breeding? If the tories and the bloodthirty farmers get their way, they'll be doomed at birth anyway!”
by Kernewek, Truro, Cornwall
Friday, April 15 2011, 1:55PM
“Another West Briton article on badger culling is yet again put together with the obligatory aggressive badger picture.
Pathetic journalism, as usual.”
by Pigsick, Penzance
Friday, April 15 2011, 12:47PM
“When will farmers stop complaining? Scarcely a day goes by without them complaining about something or telling us what a hard time they're having. Aren't we all? They are well compensated for reactive cattle and, as reported in this newspaper recently, some farmers have even been abusing the current system. Lets not blame badgers when the evidence points in other directions.”