Powerful letter to Prime Minister and Secretary of State to stop badger cull published today
- Badger Trust Staff Team
- Jul 21, 2022
- 2 min read
Badger Trust proudly joins distinguished signatories to an open letter calling for a badger cull moratorium while policy is reviewed.
The pressure on the government to stop its ongoing badger cull was increased today in light of the independent study that showed badger culling has no impact on bTB reduction.
Badger Trust is proud to be a signatory of an open letter to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State calling for a moratorium on the badger cull while the government conducts “a thorough, independent and transparent” review of the policy.
Badger Trust signed alongside a distinguished list of scientists, vets, academics and other leaders – including the former UK Deputy Chief Vet Alick Simmons, the chair of the Government’s Independent Expert Panel on badger culling Professor Ranald Munroe, leading naturalist Chris Packham, Born Free co-founders Virginia McKenna OBE and Will Travers OBE, the UN envoy for peace Jane Goodall, the RSPCA, and many others.
As reported in the Guardian, this initiative, by one of the co-authors of the report Dr Mark Jones of Born Free, highlights the evidence the independent study found – using Defra’s own figures – that there was no link between badger culling and bTB reduction, and Defra’s messy and confused response, including withdrawing charts and figures they themselves issued!
In April 2022, Badger Trust hosted ‘The Big Badger Debate, who is manipulating the bTB data?’ a panel discussion with the authors and independent scientists. Although invited, Defra refused to attend.
Peter Hambly, Executive Director of Badger Trust and one of the signatories, said:
“The letter clearly states the case for an immediate moratorium on badger culling. Over 176,000 badgers have been killed, and in 2022 we could reach the heartbreaking total of 200,000, which could be as much as 40% of the badger population. Some parts of the South West are now facing badger extinction.
The letter outlines that badger culling is ineffective in reducing bTB in cattle. The most effective solutions are cattle-based – restricting cattle movements, enhanced biosecurity, better cattle testing, and an effective cattle vaccine. The Langton, Jones, and McGill report laid out the evidence, and the government has not properly responded. They need to stop the badger cull right now and never cull badgers again.”
Read the Open letter to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs calling for badger cull moratorium
