Farming

Badger culls resume

Posted at August 27, 2014 | By : | Categories : Farming,News | Comments Off on Badger culls resume

Natural England has today confirmed that all the criteria have been met to allow the second of four years of badger culling to start in west Gloucestershire and west Somerset, to prevent the spread of bovine tuberculosis.

Operations in these areas where bovine TB is rife will be carried out under the existing four-year licences which allow six weeks of culling to take place every year between 1st June and 31st January. Start dates for culling activity will be decided by the licensed companies.

Under the terms of the authorisation letters, licensees have been set a minimum number of badgers to be removed – these are 615 in Gloucestershire and 316 in Somerset. A maximum number of badgers has also been set (1,091 in Gloucestershire; 785 in Somerset) to safeguard the local populations.

About Gill