Activists Oppose Badger Cull Move
24 Feb 2006 - BBC News
South
West environmental and wildlife groups are submitting written
opposition to a Government consultation on tackling TB with a badger
cull.The report represents the views from the South West Green Party
and six regional wildlife groups.
It is be handed to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs' Animal Health Minister Ben Bradshaw in Exeter on Friday.
A cull was one of the proposals made in a consultation launched
in December. The South West Green Party said a badger cull made "no scientific
or economic sense. We recognise that bovine tuberculosis is a significant problem
for farmers in South West England, but like many other groups who
are concerned about both cattle and badgers we have found no
evidence to show that a cull would help," said Charlie Graham,
coordinator of the party. The opposition is being supported by Exeter Friends for Animals,
Protect Our Wild Animals, North Devon Animal Defense, the Coalition
of Badger Action Groups, Animal Aid and North Devon Friends of the
Earth. The consultation exercise will cover whether to cull badgers in
areas hit badly by bovine TB, and how to do it.
The consultation paper seeks views on three options that could be
used should badger culling be introduced: individual licensing; a
targeted cull in specific areas; and a general cull over larger
areas of high TB incidence. Defra said it would welcome all opinions as part of its
consultation. Public consultation on the issue is due to end on 10 March. For more information, please click the following link:
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