Badger Trust

Slurry, Manure, and Bovine TB – it’s time to talk about poo! Ever wondered how cow poo could play a big role in the spread of bovine tuberculosis? It turns out it’s a pretty stinky situation! While badgers often get the blame, it turns out the real mess lies in what cows leave behind — cow slurry and manure. Check out our NEW article for more on why tackling the slurry problem could be the key to stopping bTB in its tracks — without pointing fingers at our furry friends!

The UK Government is back in front of the Bern Convention this week about its badger cull policy New evidence from Badger Trust, Born Free Foundation and Eurogroup for Animals highlights local extinction concerns from an inadequate population census and Natural England’s 2024 decision to cull against advice. The ongoing contentious badger culling policy has already killed over 230,000 badgers and is targeting another 50,000 for death in 2024. The Bern Convention is an international treaty to conserve and protect nature and wildlife. The UK is a signatory and is expected to adhere to its principles. Read more > https://buff.ly/4gmNdmx #EndTheCull We're fighting back for badgers – please share to help raise awareness

BREAKING Bovine TB consultation outcome The government finally focuses on managing bTB in cows by putting risks from purchasing and movement under greater scrutiny. But if they have genuinely rejected the 100% (‘epidemiological’) badger cull option, how can they proceed with a new Cumbria cull? Asking for a badger friend. #EndtheCull

Green Party of England and Wales Baroness Jones and Baroness Bennett attended our National Day of Action Against the Badger Cull event outside the UK Parliament. Watch as they explain why they support our call to #EndTheCull and what they're doing to help👇 The fight to save badgers goes on. YOU can help too — anything you can do will make a difference for badgers: - Tag your MP on social media - Email your MP with your views - Arrange to meet your MP locally Did you know? Over 50% of newly elected MPs are completely new to their role. NOW is the time to educate them and engage with them about ending the badger cull. Need help? Read our tips here > https://buff.ly/3YDJeMe

Government continues to consider new badger cull licences despite promising to end the cull > https://buff.ly/3za8SOe Today (5/9) is the last day to respond to the government's controversial consultation to once again cull badgers in Cumbria, which is a bTB Low Risk Area ('LRA') A four-year-long trial of epidemiological badger culling (i.e. killing all badgers), conducted in Cumbria between 2018 and 2021, showed killing badgers had no significant contribution to controlling bTB in cattle. So why is the government considering culling badgers here again? The Cumbria trial revealed that, even if government-licensed shooters cull ALL the badgers in an area, the inability to completely remove bTB from cattle herds using current testing methods means cattle will continue to re-infect each other, the repopulating badgers and other wildlife. Peter Hambly, Executive Director of Badger Trust, said, “The Labour government has already said that the badger cull is ineffective and that they want to focus on other effective methods of bTB eradication that have a real-world impact. To have reopened the consultation process for a new cull licence could set a terrible precedent and continue the mistruth about the badger cull. They should know better.”

ONE DAY TO GO! The National Day of Action Against the Cull is on Tuesday, 3 September. Badgers need YOU to join in with us in any way you can: 1. MASS MP LOBBY & PEACEFUL PROTEST IN LONDON! MEET: From 11:00 meet in Parliament Square LISTEN: From 12:00 hear speakers including Chris Packham, Rosie Wood, Dale Vince, Dr Alice Brough, Rachel Bigsby and Born Free's Mark Jones and Dom Dyer LOBBY: From13:30 join our mass lobby of MPs in Parliament Event guide and more info > https://buff.ly/3YDJeMe 2. JOIN IN FROM HOME — STAND UP FOR BADGERS! - Sign & share the petition - Email your MP to #EndTheCull NOW – not in 5 YEARS as govt just announced - Arrange to meet your MP locally & ask them to #EndTheCull More info, tips & links here > https://buff.ly/3YDJeMe Q: WHY IS THE EVENT IN LONDON ON A TUESDAY? A: To mass lobby MPs to #EndTheCull we need to go WHEN and WHERE they work for us. That's a weekday at the UK Parliament in London. Q: WHY 3 SEPTEMBER? A: Did you know the 2024 intensive badger cull to kill 30,000 MORE badgers started on 1 September? MPs need to know that, too. We must ask our elected representatives to #EndTheCull NOW, not in FIVE YEARS as DEFRA Minister Zeichner has just announced. Q: WHY 11AM TO 2PM? To give time for Badger Groups in cull zones to get back for their legal nightly wounded badger patrols. Find out how you can support your local badger group > https://buff.ly/3gtXDkG #BadgerMonday

Our initial response to the Government statement on its bTB eradication plan > https://buff.ly/4g5oJ10 - Government extends the badger cull - DEFRA Minister Zeichner focuses too much on badgers in new strategy when he should focus on cattle Badgers are NOT the problem. This planned intensification of badger culling by the Government, against their manifesto pledge, must be stopped. Will you take a stand for badgers? Your action can make a difference. Join in with the National Day of Action Against the Badger Cull on Tuesday, 3 September however you can. Find out what you can do here > https://buff.ly/3YDJeMe #EndTheCull

We welcome the news that proposed long-term badger culling plans have been ruled out. This makes it even more urgent that intensive badger killing — planned to start this weekend and continue until January — and the ongoing supplementary badger cull are cancelled immediately. The Labour government knows culling badgers is ineffective — they said it in their election manifesto! And the weight of scientific evidence clearly shows that killing badgers will not help stop the spread of bovine TB in cattle. Over 30,000 more badgers' lives are at risk this autumn. The government knows that cattle-to-cattle measures, including improved testing, better biosecurity, and cattle vaccination, are the best way to deal properly with the spread of this disease. The badger cull needs to end now. Join us on 3 September at Parliament Square to protest this ongoing wildlife catastrophe. https://buff.ly/4cSDzp6

It's astonishing that the new Labour government is continuing with the badger cull despite its manifesto pledge and the weight of scientific evidence that badger culling is ineffective in stopping the spread of bovine TB. That's why we're holding an #EndTheCull National Day of Action next Tuesday, September 3. Your voice matters for badgers. Send an email or letter to your MP now, or join our peaceful, legal mass lobby of MPs at the UK Parliament in London. Read more info plus get a guide to the MP lobby event > https://buff.ly/3YDJeMe #BadgerMonday

Brian May documentary shows Government and its agencies are letting everyone down on bTB Government departments are not fit for purpose and need a complete overhaul to end misinformation and confusion about the bovine TB crisis for farmers. "Whether you care about badgers should be immaterial: you should still be outraged. We’ve had over a decade of a government department systematically and deliberately misleading farmers, taxpayers and parliamentarians." — Chair of Badger Trust, Rosie Wood “It seems that Defra and APHA are not fit for purpose; they have failed farmers, and they have failed our natural world, especially badgers. They need a complete overhaul, or they will keep making the same devastating mistakes again and again, with no respite for farmers, cows or badgers." — Peter Hambly, Chief Executive of Badger Trust We say it like it is. Read more > https://buff.ly/4cCtZGC