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Badger culling resumes for second year | Badger culling resumes for second year |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A second year of badger culling has begun in parts of Gloucestershire and Somerset in a bid to tackle bovine TB. | A second year of badger culling has begun in parts of Gloucestershire and Somerset in a bid to tackle bovine TB. |
Last year, 1,800 badgers were killed in the pilot areas of west Gloucestershire and west Somerset. Just under 1,000 are due to be killed this year. | Last year, 1,800 badgers were killed in the pilot areas of west Gloucestershire and west Somerset. Just under 1,000 are due to be killed this year. |
The government insists culling is necessary but protesters argue shooting is not "effective or humane". | |
More than 26,000 cattle were slaughtered in England last year because of the spread of TB. | More than 26,000 cattle were slaughtered in England last year because of the spread of TB. |
The four-year government-backed pilot aims to cull 70% of the initial population of badgers to test how "effective, humane and safe" a cull can be. | The four-year government-backed pilot aims to cull 70% of the initial population of badgers to test how "effective, humane and safe" a cull can be. |
England's Badger cull: | England's Badger cull: |
Q&A: The badger cull explained | Q&A: The badger cull explained |
Find out more about badgers with BBC Nature | Find out more about badgers with BBC Nature |
Ministers and the National Farmers' Union (NFU) believe culling badgers will curb TB in cattle. | Ministers and the National Farmers' Union (NFU) believe culling badgers will curb TB in cattle. |
Andrew Guest, chairman of the NFU in Gloucestershire and spokesperson for GlosCon - the company carrying out the cull in the county - said if infected cattle were culled but not badgers it was "leaving the circle open for re-infection again and again". | Andrew Guest, chairman of the NFU in Gloucestershire and spokesperson for GlosCon - the company carrying out the cull in the county - said if infected cattle were culled but not badgers it was "leaving the circle open for re-infection again and again". |
Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss claimed the government's "comprehensive strategy" was supported by leading vets. | Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss claimed the government's "comprehensive strategy" was supported by leading vets. |
'Not a killer' | 'Not a killer' |
But protesters have claimed independent monitoring has been dropped and attempted to have the cull halted at the High Court. | |
The move was rejected by judges, after which the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said: "We have always been clear that the independent expert panel's role was to oversee the six-week pilots in the first year of the culls only. | The move was rejected by judges, after which the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said: "We have always been clear that the independent expert panel's role was to oversee the six-week pilots in the first year of the culls only. |
"This year we have made changes to monitor effectiveness and humaneness and the culls will be independently audited." | "This year we have made changes to monitor effectiveness and humaneness and the culls will be independently audited." |
An independent report by the expert panel into the first year of culls found that "controlled shooting" of free-running badgers could not deliver the level of culling needed to lower TB cases in cattle and was not humane. | |
One anonymous marksman told the BBC's Farming Today programme once they spot a potential target badger they have to check the area is completely clear before approaching it. | One anonymous marksman told the BBC's Farming Today programme once they spot a potential target badger they have to check the area is completely clear before approaching it. |
To comply with rules marksmen have to be within 229ft (70m) of a badger before taking aim. | To comply with rules marksmen have to be within 229ft (70m) of a badger before taking aim. |
They then have to be sure the shot will be safe as they use high velocity rifles and the animal must be broadside on to expose its heart/lung area. | They then have to be sure the shot will be safe as they use high velocity rifles and the animal must be broadside on to expose its heart/lung area. |
"I live in the countryside, I love wildlife," he said. | "I live in the countryside, I love wildlife," he said. |
"I'm not a cold-blooded killer as some of our opponents would paint us as. | |
"I see what we're doing as really positive thing." | "I see what we're doing as really positive thing." |
Protesters, who have called for alternatives such as vaccination to be considered, said Defra had "sacked the referee". | Protesters, who have called for alternatives such as vaccination to be considered, said Defra had "sacked the referee". |
Dominic Dyer, of the Badger Trust and Care for the Wild, said culls were "ill-conceived and incompetently managed" and called the pro-cull arguments "discredited". | Dominic Dyer, of the Badger Trust and Care for the Wild, said culls were "ill-conceived and incompetently managed" and called the pro-cull arguments "discredited". |
"Here we have a government and the National Farmers' Union pushing ahead with a policy simply because they don't have the guts to admit that it is wrong," he added. | "Here we have a government and the National Farmers' Union pushing ahead with a policy simply because they don't have the guts to admit that it is wrong," he added. |