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Somerset and Gloucestershire badger cull pilots come to an end | Somerset and Gloucestershire badger cull pilots come to an end |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A second year of badger cull trials in Somerset and Gloucestershire have come to an end without official indication of how many badgers have been killed. | A second year of badger cull trials in Somerset and Gloucestershire have come to an end without official indication of how many badgers have been killed. |
Marksmen had a target of killing a minimum of 615 in Gloucestershire and 316 in Somerset this year. | Marksmen had a target of killing a minimum of 615 in Gloucestershire and 316 in Somerset this year. |
Last year, official targets were missed and an independent panel found the method of "controlled shooting" was inhumane and ineffective. | Last year, official targets were missed and an independent panel found the method of "controlled shooting" was inhumane and ineffective. |
Cull supporters blame badgers for spreading TB to cattle. | Cull supporters blame badgers for spreading TB to cattle. |
'Very pleased' | |
The culls officially ended at 12:00 BST on Monday. | The culls officially ended at 12:00 BST on Monday. |
More than 26,000 cattle were killed in England last year because of TB. | More than 26,000 cattle were killed in England last year because of TB. |
Andrew Guest, from the National Farmers' Union, which is carrying out the cull in the county on behalf of Defra, said he believed it had been a success. | Andrew Guest, from the National Farmers' Union, which is carrying out the cull in the county on behalf of Defra, said he believed it had been a success. |
"The feeling is that we have removed enough badgers to control the disease in Gloucestershire and we're very pleased with that." | "The feeling is that we have removed enough badgers to control the disease in Gloucestershire and we're very pleased with that." |
Protesters have been patrolling the cull zones in order to stop badgers being killed | Protesters have been patrolling the cull zones in order to stop badgers being killed |
Campaigners have been disrupting both pilot zones which cull operators admit have had a significant impact. | Campaigners have been disrupting both pilot zones which cull operators admit have had a significant impact. |
One protester, Mandy, who did not want to give her second name, said they had patrolled all night. | One protester, Mandy, who did not want to give her second name, said they had patrolled all night. |
"There's been a lot of people in the zone, we've got autonomous groups, so a group of people is responsible for each area, mostly it's people who were here last year, so they know the area really well," she said. | |
In 2013, 921 badgers were killed in Gloucestershire and 940 in Somerset - with neither meeting the 70% target set by Defra. | In 2013, 921 badgers were killed in Gloucestershire and 940 in Somerset - with neither meeting the 70% target set by Defra. |
The maximum number of badgers that can be culled this year has been set at 1,091 in Gloucestershire and 785 in Somerset. | The maximum number of badgers that can be culled this year has been set at 1,091 in Gloucestershire and 785 in Somerset. |
The four-year pilot cull aims to kill 70% of the initial population to test how effective, humane and safe a cull can be. | The four-year pilot cull aims to kill 70% of the initial population to test how effective, humane and safe a cull can be. |