Wiltshire added to list of badger culling areas

The Government's granted licences for eleven new areas in England where badger culling will be permitted, including Wiltshire.

The licences have been approved in an effort to try and prevent the spread of tuberculosis to cattle.

Animal welfare charity, the RSPCA is concerned about the culling programme.

Adam Grogan, head of the their wildlife department, said:

"We are shocked that the Government is stepping up its inhumane and ineffective badger cull despite its recently announced commitment to "government-supported badger vaccination and surveillance"

"It is appalling news that the cull is to be extended to another 11 regions, given the Government's April announcement that it would move away from culling towards badger vaccination, the development of cattle vaccination, more frequent and improved cattle testing, better management of cattle movements and incentives to improve biosecurity."

The order grants culling to take place in a number of areas across Wiltshire including:

• Blackmoor Copse

• Bowerchalke Downs

• Brickworth Down

• Britford Water Meadows

• Burcombe Down

• Chilmark Quarries

• Clearbury Down

• Cranborne Chase

• Dinton Quarry

• East Harnham Meadows

• Figsbury Ring

• Fyfield Down

• Homington and Coombe Bissett Downs

• Landford Bog

• Loosehanger Copse

• Lower Woodford Water Meadows

• Odstock Down

• Parsonage Down

• Pewsey Downs

• Porton Meadows

• Salisbury Plain

• Savernake Forest

• Steeple Langford Down

• Stratford Tony Down

• Upper Chicksgrove Quarry

• West Harnham Chalk Pit

• Whiteparish Common

• Wylye and Church Dean Downs

NEW FOREST NATURALIST SAYS CULL IS 'NOT THE ANSWER'

Wildlife enthusiast and Vice President of the RSPCA, Chris Packham has given his response:

"The badger cull is not the answer to stopping the spread of bovine TB amongst cattle. The RSPCA and myself have campaigned for many years against this cruel and ineffective method, which very sadly can result in badgers suffering unnecessarily.

"Not only that, but we owe it to cattle to get this sorted, as the longer it takes for the cattle vaccination to be developed, more cows will be removed from herds around the country due to bovine TB. The welfare of cattle is just as much a concern as badger welfare in this sorry state of affairs."

WHY BADGER CULLING?

The Government's Environment Secretary, George Eustice, has explained why the measure's being brought in:

"Bovine TB is one of the most difficult and intractable animal health challenges that the UK faces today, causing considerable trauma for farmers and costing taxpayers over £100 million every year.

"No one wants to continue the cull of a protected species indefinitely. That is why we are accelerating other elements of our strategy, including vaccination and improved testing so that we can eradicate this insidious disease and start to phase out badger culling in England."