Cull a ‘serious threat’ to badger population

It is claimed the intensity of cull has created a situation where the status of the badger population is ‘uncertain’.

Ireland’s badger population is under “serious threat” due to a Department of Agriculture cull of over 100,000 of the animals.

The Irish Wildlife Trust claimed that the increased intensity of the badger cull, which has been taking place every year since the mid-1980s, has created a situation where the status of the badger population in certain parts of the country is “uncertain”.

In 2011, just under 7,000 badgers were culled in Ireland, an increase of almost 22% on the previous year.

@WildIreland Thanks! Those concerned about the inhumane cull of 7,000 badgers annually please sign. Badgers under more threat than ever

— Irish Wildlife Trust (@Irishwildlife) January 13, 2014

The IWT has claimed that the cull has now reached the stage where a species that is protected at a national and European level is being eradicated from many parts of the Irish countryside.

IWT research officer Fintan Kelly said Ireland is also in breach of a commitment it made to the Bern Secretariat — that badger removal will not cover more than 30% of agricultural land.

“Despite this commitment the Irish authorities confirmed in their latest communication to the Bern Standing Committee that the area of agricultural land under capture in 2012 was 31.05%,” said Mr Kelly.

“Limiting the amount of land under capture was one of the few considerations given to the conservation of badgers in the Government’s culling programme. This is the second time that the Irish badger cull has been in breach of the Bern Convention in the last year.”

Mr Kelly said the scale of the culling being undertaken here was “hard to comprehend” and that there were no figures on how many badgers remain in Ireland.

“This cull is occurring despite strong scientific evidence showing that culling causes the spread of TB,” said Mr Kelly. “The Irish Wildlife Trust’s petition against the cull now stands at over 10,000 signatures. It is clear that the Irish people want to see culling replaced by vaccination immediately. All the evidence shows that vaccination is in the interests of both farmers and badgers as it is cheaper and more effective at reducing TB.”

No comment was forthcoming from the Department of Agriculture at the time of going to print.

Meanwhile, in Britain, official figures have overstated the number of cattle herds with tuberculosis in the past two years, it has been revealed.

Figures showing the incidence of new cases of the disease in Britain, and the number of herds under restrictions following an outbreak of TB, have been suspended dating back to Sept 2011, after a problem was identified with data recording.

The revelation is the latest issue to beset the British government’s policy to tackle TB in cattle, after efforts to cull badgers — which can spread the disease to herds — failed to kill enough badgers in two pilot areas, and policing costs spiralled.

Support @irishwildlife 10,000 target for #stopthecull petition. 100k+ Irish badgers dead. Add your voice http://t.co/35kbMyP5SN

— Dave Walsh (@davewalshphoto) January 14, 2014