Badger cull licence extended into Cumbria

Cumbria has been added to the list of areas where controversial badger culling has been approved.

Deputy Secretary Michael Gove gave the go ahead to expand the number of cull licences to thirty one.

The Wildlife Trusts say the government’s strategy for minimising the badger population through selective slaughtering is flawed. Bovine TB, the disease badgers can carry, is primarily found in cattle. They say culling is “counterproductive” and not the answer.

Over the past decade the Wildlife Trusts have opposed badger culling. Recently they wrote to Michael Gove, Secretary of State, to draw attention to the negative impact of culling.

The Badger Trust say if the government wants to reduce the spread of TB, they should stop the "cruel, ineffective and hugely costly badger cull and introduce a publicly funded national badger vaccination programme".