Badger Cull ?

[Wagstaff]

I've noticed that over one hundred Badgers have been dumped on the side of the road between Salisbury and Blandford within the last year. Can anyone tell me if there is a cull on-going in this area?

Wagstaff

[Bumblebeebob]

No official culls have been sanctioned in England as yet but that's not to say some farmers aren't carrying out their own! It has been known that bodies get dumped by roadsides to pass them off as road kill.

[brianwaugh]

The Farmers and Government have got their way so it doesn't matter. Within a few months Badgers will be culled almost to extinction with the Governments blessing.
Money talks....

[tigger]

Have you kept any photos or details regarding this (ie dates, places, etc)? or been in contact with either Dorset Badger Group (click on their name for a link to their website) or a similar group in Wiltshire?

I'm a member of the Dorset Group and I've heard of this happening in the County.

Dorset Badger Group have a person who records any roadside kills (see the Road Traffic Accidents page on the site) where you can fill in a form to send to them. On this form you can say whether you think it was in fact an accident or on purpose, or you can give them a ring (there is a phone number on there).

I know that in Dorset we take this sort of problem VERY seriously and the Badger Group are in regular contact with the Police Wildlife Liaison Officer.

I hope this helps.

[Wagstaff]

Many thanks to all who posted replies.
I'm pretty sure that what I've seen are not road kills, and that there is a definite campaign to rid this area of Badgers.
Thank you for the link, Tigger - I'll start to record the incidents and pass on the details in future.

Wagstaff

[tigger]

No problem Wagstaff.

Don't hesitate to ring the number on the Dorset Badger Group website, they will be able to advise you what to do the next time you see one. They may even suggest that you notify them, so that the body of the animal can be kept as evidence. Especially if there are several bodies (as the police may need to get involved).

Or you can send me a private message, and I will contact them on your behalf.

I'm travelling down that road tonight... I will keep an eye out!

[Jez]

Badgers are so uncommonly seen at the best of times. So PLEASE sign up to stop our Meles meles from being destroyed for good, nothing of which will come to any good!

Cheers

Jez

[Bumblebeebob]

In the news, there will be no cull. A victory for common sense at last.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Badger cull proposals rejected

[mrs fish]

Hurray for the Badgers

[Bumblebeebob]

Just wonder what the Welsh Assembly will do in light of this decision?

[Wagstaff]

Yes - I also noticed reports from the BBC news today that the Government is not going to agree to a nationwide Badger cull.
As is typical, it's not really evident to what this Government is going to agree, but it means that the farmers will be much more likely to be hiding the evidence of culling. Indeed, since starting this thread, I haven't seen one dumped Badger! I guess the perpetrators of these crimes must be monitoring forums like this.
So there needs to be much more vigilance.

Wagstaff

[Paul mabbott]

Anyone get a sense of deja vu?
Bovine Tuberculosis In Wildlife Threatens Endangered Lynx And Cattle Health
Seems in Spain that it's not only Badgers that are causing TB in cattle (and thus need culling) but deer, boar, .... most wild animals really .....

[stripee]

Minnesota, USA, have a policy of buying out the cattle from farms to control bovine TB:
http://www.bah.state.mn.us/tb/releas...ase7-24-08.pdf

[Wagstaff]

Bovine TB infection in 52% of Wild Boar seems very high. Why?... How are all these wild animals being infected?
Saw another dumped Badger yesterday. Unfortunately I can't add the image to this post !!

Wagstaff

[Deerhunter]

Originally Posted by Wagstaff

Bovine TB infection in 52% of Wild Boar seems very high. Why?... How are all these wild animals being infected?
Saw another dumped Badger yesterday. Unfortunately I can't add the image to this post !!

Wagstaff

May I ask how you know it was dumped?

[Wagstaff]

Yes, of course you may. Without revealing all to an “honest” farmer, the method is really based on a combination of digital image recording and observation. I appreciate that “observation” isn’t an exact science - our ancestors believed that the Sun went round the Earth, because that is what they observed!! But, in the absence of a post-mortem, this is the best evidence so far.
May I, in turn, ask you two questions:-
1. Are you or have you ever been involved in disposing of Badgers?
2. Do you know or have you heard of anyone in your farming community who is actively engaged in disposing of Badgers?

Wagstaff

[stripee]

Bovine TB found in endangered Iberian lynx, Wild Boar, red and Fallow Deer in Spain. Deer in Minnesota, Badgers in the UK plus other mammals.
Where cattle go, disease follows.
Richard Haddock, Devon farmer has admitted killing Badgers on his land.

[Deerhunter]

Originally Posted by Wagstaff

Yes, of course you may. Without revealing all to an “honest” farmer, the method is really based on a combination of digital image recording and observation. I appreciate that “observation” isn’t an exact science - our ancestors believed that the Sun went round the Earth, because that is what they observed!! But, in the absence of a post-mortem, this is the best evidence so far.
May I, in turn, ask you two questions:-
1. Are you or have you ever been involved in disposing of Badgers?
2. Do you know or have you heard of anyone in your farming community who is actively engaged in disposing of Badgers?

Wagstaff

That does not really explain why you think it was dumped as opposed to expiring naturally, being hit with a vehicle or popping its clogs when Father Jack comes around the corner.

But as is usual with me I can give you straight answers.

1. I used to control the number of Badgers on my farm.

2. I am almost sure there are individuals in my farming community who are increasingly killing Badgers. There is not much option. Its not the cull cattle you see, it is the movement bans that are destroying small farms.