The Wildlife Trusts are fully aware that TB in cattle is a significant problem for farming in the UK and that urgent action is required to combat the disease. The Wildlife Trusts believe that action to address bovine TB should be based on clear scientific evidence that can be effectively applied in practice.

The Position Statement’s conclusions are:

• The Wildlife Trusts do not support a cull of badgers, as we do not believe this will deliver a significant and sustained reduction in cattle TB

• There is a very real risk of exacerbating the spread and incidence of the disease in the badger population due to the ‘perturbation effect’

• We believe there are alternatives to culling badgers, such as vaccination, that will deliver more effective, suitable, and sustainable reductions in cattle TB
  

Update

Useful information

• Badgers and Bovine TB briefing doc
  
• Bovine TB and Vaccination briefing doc
  
• Diagram illustrating the impacts of badger culling pdf
  

badger / Darin Smith, info@wildstock.co.uk