It's all relevant so you can read it all
But it is of little relevance to the latest studies and culls... Cherrypicking out of date papers is not binding evidence, even if some of it is actually still accurate.
Except there are less badgers and they have significantly less impact on the natural environment. Partly because they have been persecuted for hundreds of years by, you guessed it.... Farmers... It's why they were put on the protected species list 20 years ago!
So are you telling us you do not like our British countryside then seeing as its been managed for hundreds of years.
I like some of it, however the suggestion that we have "wild" places in the UK is false. It's also a prime example of why "farmers know best" is a huge fallacy. They don't and our countryside is a prime example of that. Unfortunately those same people keeping moors and other national parks the way they are are also in close contact with the people in power...
A question for you. Do you think we have severely damaged much of the country by deforestation and overgrazing?
Quite often in England not enough but its not the money. Those animals have been bred generation after generation to produce the cattle in current herds.
That's a risk they have to take, much like any other industry.
Love how the antis always shout about eradicating the species. No one wants them "wiped out" but they do want the population numbers managed the same as deer etc.
Killing at least 70% of an already reduced population... What do you call that? It's not a "cull" in the same way a cull of Deer is that's for sure...
and interference from the furry brigade.
Why are so many countries that use culling to control BTB seeing hugely positive results then?
Look at Ireland and New Zealand as examples.
Fine, then why are independent scientific studies, and in fact government advisors, recommending not to continue the cull and rather to vaccinate?
The problem with Badgers, TB and Farming are idiots from the town with their narrow minding opinions.
You might get compensation for an animal that tests positive for Tb. But that money makes no difference, that animal was part of your lifes work in many cases, your livelihood is now under thread and endless weeks of stress lays ahead. Until you've experienced it you have no right to comment on it
Hope that comment isn't aimed at me...? I'm about as far from a townie as you can get. Obviously I have no experience outside towns... Wait, no, that's not right!
What I am however is someone passionate about the environment and allowing it to thrive. I'm also a realist and know we can't change everything, but small changes, and paying a bit more* to protect things is a far better option than following political belief and power, contrary to scientific evidence.
As a scientist I get particularly fed up with the latter. Why pay for scientific advisors and studies if you don't bother to actually read them, let alone enact the recommendations!
But no, Farmers know best, look after the land and environment (a bit of a contradiction there), and know far more than specialists in the subject.
*Controversial, considering numerous studies suggest it'll be cheaper to vaccinate.