30 percent of local badgers removed, says Defra

As the badger cull in Gloucestershire ended this week, the cull company has applied for an extension to Natural England.

In the six weeks of the pilot cull, 708 badgers were removed, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. This represents just over 30 per cent of the revised local badger population of 2,350.

The Chief Veterinary Officer has advised that the period of culling this year should be extended to achieve the earliest and greatest possible impact on bovine TB in Gloucestershire. Natural England is therefore considering an application for an extension from the cull company in Gloucestershire.

"The pilot culls in Gloucestershire and Somerset have been testing the safety, humaneness and effectiveness of controlled shooting as a means of reducing badger numbers and therefore reducing the high levels of disease in these areas," said Defra.

"The early indications from Gloucestershire are that, as in Somerset, the pilot has been safe and humane. The Independent Panel of Experts will now consider all of the information from these pilots before the government decides on next steps."

Natural England are currently considering the application to extend the licence in Gloucestershire and a decision is expected shortly.

The Country Land and Business Association said the move highlighted Mr Paterson’s undoubted commitment to eradicating England of bovine TB.

CLA President Harry Cotterell said: “It is absolutely right that Mr Paterson is considering extending the pilot badger cull in Gloucestershire, which has proved to be safe and humane.

“This area was always a testing ground to establish an effective method of ridding England of the devastating effects of bTB and it is clear we need to allow more than six weeks to achieve the best results.

“While the cull has been challenging, and progress was initially slow, extending the cull is crucial if we are going to see an impact on the disease.”

The Association said the pilot culls were just the first step in a 25-year action plan to rid England of a disease which led to 38,000 cattle being slaughtered in Britain in 2012.

Cotterell added: “The appalling effects of this disease cannot simply be ignored. Government and farming must continue to work together if we are to win the fight against bTB.”