Badger cull Wiltshire: Shocking figures reveal true death toll

Across England, the death toll reached more than 30,000 badgers.  

Badgers are a protected species and so the ongoing cull where animals are trapped and shot with the aim of controlling bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle is divisive.

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Executive director of the Badger Trust, Peter Hambly said: “Badger setts across England are lying empty for the first time in history. One of our most iconic native wild animals is being wiped from parts of our natural landscape because of the badger cull. 

"In just a decade, half of our population of badgers has been killed.” 

“We know killing badgers isn’t the way to control bovine tuberculosis. Scientific research repeatedly proves that badger culling doesn’t work. The governments in Wales and Scotland don’t cull badgers with better results in reducing bovine tuberculosis.” 

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According to data on the British Veterinary Association website, analysis based on Defra published data does not suggest that badger culling affected herd bovine TB occurrence (Btb) and in 9 out of 10 counties, bTB peaked and began to fall before badger culling commenced.

Peter added: “So why won’t Defra end the badger cull and concentrate on more effective disease-control methods that will make a lasting difference to English farmers - enhanced biosecurity such as restricting cattle movements, more effective cattle testing, and cattle vaccination?” 

Badgers play an important role as ecosystem engineers, where they dig and forage which rejuvenates the soil and provides shelter and nesting sites for birds, small mammals, and pollinating insects.  

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A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) said: “Bovine TB is one of the most difficult and intractable animal health challenges the livestock sector in England faces today, causing considerable trauma for farmers and costing taxpayers over £100 million every year.

“Our bovine TB eradication strategy has led to a significant reduction in this insidious disease. As a result of the progress made, we are now able to move onto the next phase of the long-term eradication strategy, including wider badger vaccination, alongside improved cattle testing, and work towards deployment of a cattle vaccine.

“We have always been clear we do not want to continue the badger cull longer than necessary.”

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Salisbury MP John Glen said: “I recognise that people within this rural constituency hold a wide range of views on the necessity and efficacy of badger culling.

“The Government is on a path to eradicate bovine TB in England by 2038. This strategy sets out a range of evidence-led interventions to tackle the disease in both cattle and wildlife, including strengthening cattle testing and movement controls and supporting the deployment of badger vaccination.

“Intensive badger culling in areas where badgers are a significant factor in spreading disease to cattle has been an important element and has led to a significant reduction of bTB in cattle herds.

“Alongside this, the Government continues to fund major research, including on cattle vaccination and improved diagnostics.

“That funding has already resulted in a major breakthrough by the Animal and Plant Health Agency in developing a test that can differentiate TB-infected among vaccinated cattle. The aim is to have a deployable TB vaccine for cattle within the next five years.”

To mark the 210,000-badger death milestone since the culling began, the Badger Trust has launched an investigative study into the contemporary history of the Badger culling policing.

The report is expected to be published in Autumn 2023 with the aim of providing evidence that bTB can be controlled effectively without culling protected wildlife.