Why shouldn’t badgers be culled?

• Scientific reports show no clear evidence that badger culls would be effective in controlling bTB in cattle
  • Unless carried out over large areas due to perturbation effect
• May result in animal welfare problems if badger not shot cleanly
  • Could maim, cause immense suffering in badgers
• Negative ecosystem effects
  • Exact badger population numbers unknown
  • Could result in local extinction of badgers in Great Britain
  • Impact on ecosystem unknown
• Badgers not only route of transmission to cattle!
  • Many other species susceptible
  • Cattle-to-cattle transmission accounts for greatest source of bTB infection
• bTB risk to humans is very low
• Issues of public safety from free shooting