Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Why a badger cull is just wrong
Yesterday's statement by the Rural Affair's Minister that she is to instigate a cull of badgers in North Pembrokeshire so as to reduce the incidence of bovine TB has led to predictable and entirely justified opposition from wildlife groups.
I have written in more detail on this issue here and continue to hold these views. What the Minister did not explain yesterday was how she came to a different conclusion to the English Rural Affairs Minister on the same evidence. It leads one to the conclusion that it was not the arguments for a cull that prevailed in this case but the symbolism of Wales doing something different and the politics of a Plaid Cymru Minister pandering to the rural lobby.
In England the plan is that badgers will be vaccinated against bovine TB in six pilot areas next year. Why could that approach not be followed here? If the intention is to catch the badgers before exterminating them, why cannot they be tested and a vaccination given to non-carriers? The Minister is acting in a barbaric and unjustified way towards wild animals and in a way that will have an impact on our environment and biodiversity.
There was no vote yesterday, but if there is a vote on the legislation needed to implement this then I will vote against it.
I have written in more detail on this issue here and continue to hold these views. What the Minister did not explain yesterday was how she came to a different conclusion to the English Rural Affairs Minister on the same evidence. It leads one to the conclusion that it was not the arguments for a cull that prevailed in this case but the symbolism of Wales doing something different and the politics of a Plaid Cymru Minister pandering to the rural lobby.
In England the plan is that badgers will be vaccinated against bovine TB in six pilot areas next year. Why could that approach not be followed here? If the intention is to catch the badgers before exterminating them, why cannot they be tested and a vaccination given to non-carriers? The Minister is acting in a barbaric and unjustified way towards wild animals and in a way that will have an impact on our environment and biodiversity.
There was no vote yesterday, but if there is a vote on the legislation needed to implement this then I will vote against it.
Comments:
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"What the Minister did not explain yesterday was how she came to a different conclusion to the English Rural Affairs Minister on the same evidence."
Couldn't you ask her English equivilent.....why he has come to a different conclusion to the Welsh minister? I am sure many farmers in England are doing just that. Maybe we could also ask the Prime Minister of the UK why he thinks that printing money is the correct way forward in sorting out our economic problems whereas European leaders do not. You could go on. Oh sorry....I forgott....England/UK always knows best.
PS
Do they have an immunisation for TB which could be given to these badgers once caught? If so, why isn't it given to cattle? There isn't one is there.
Couldn't you ask her English equivilent.....why he has come to a different conclusion to the Welsh minister? I am sure many farmers in England are doing just that. Maybe we could also ask the Prime Minister of the UK why he thinks that printing money is the correct way forward in sorting out our economic problems whereas European leaders do not. You could go on. Oh sorry....I forgott....England/UK always knows best.
PS
Do they have an immunisation for TB which could be given to these badgers once caught? If so, why isn't it given to cattle? There isn't one is there.
# posted by 
: 2:35 PM
: 2:35 PM
I am horrified by this proposal. As a vegan who avoids all animal by- products and has done for many years, I live in what is the possible cull area. I have badgers released under the appropriate protocol (there were no other badgers in the vicinity), but they have been tested for bovine TB prior to release and are clean green badgers.
If this goes ahead I'm faced with the prospect of men with guns (I am totally against shooting of any kind as well) coming onto the land with forced entry to shoot these badgers. And for what? What exactly is the point in shooting healthy animals? It's barbaric and outrageous that people's rights to their own property and opinions can be trampled on by the Welsh Assembly. Appeasing farmers who run everything on the councils and aren't interested in the fact that it could just be down to their own cattle that they have this disease problem.
If this goes ahead I'm faced with the prospect of men with guns (I am totally against shooting of any kind as well) coming onto the land with forced entry to shoot these badgers. And for what? What exactly is the point in shooting healthy animals? It's barbaric and outrageous that people's rights to their own property and opinions can be trampled on by the Welsh Assembly. Appeasing farmers who run everything on the councils and aren't interested in the fact that it could just be down to their own cattle that they have this disease problem.
# posted by : 4:01 PM
: 4:01 PM
there is no doubt, the badgers are to be slaughtered simply to appease Plaid's rural lobby.
the rest of us should think twice in future before buying farm produce from wales (not that the rural 'economy' contributes much to Wales' economy in the first place).
the rest of us should think twice in future before buying farm produce from wales (not that the rural 'economy' contributes much to Wales' economy in the first place).
# posted by : 4:53 PM
: 4:53 PM
"the rest of us should think twice in future before buying farm produce from wales (not that the rural 'economy' contributes much to Wales' economy in the first place)."
Well that's very interesting. If you listen to Jim Rogers, you'll find that he is of the opinion that agrculture will in the future be creating a lot of wealth. At the moment....ahem...or should I say up until recently, peeps have been making loads of dosh through selling over-priced houses to each other....then we have the solicitiors involved and the EAs and the builders and carpenters and supplies companies and the related transportation.....but it all was an illusion. Wealth built on debt....a Ponzi Scheme the like the world has never seen. But hey, we will still need food. Thank God for the farmers I say. Anon 4:53....are you by any chance a NuLabour member? Remeber, you can't create wealth by printing money or borrowing your way out of debt. LOL.
Well that's very interesting. If you listen to Jim Rogers, you'll find that he is of the opinion that agrculture will in the future be creating a lot of wealth. At the moment....ahem...or should I say up until recently, peeps have been making loads of dosh through selling over-priced houses to each other....then we have the solicitiors involved and the EAs and the builders and carpenters and supplies companies and the related transportation.....but it all was an illusion. Wealth built on debt....a Ponzi Scheme the like the world has never seen. But hey, we will still need food. Thank God for the farmers I say. Anon 4:53....are you by any chance a NuLabour member? Remeber, you can't create wealth by printing money or borrowing your way out of debt. LOL.
# posted by : 7:28 PM
: 7:28 PM
I would like to hope a more reasoned course of action could be found. Only complete ecosystems are healthy ones. You only have to look at the time and money invested into the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park in the US. The outcomes of the reintroduction have had profound effects on the rest of the ecosystem from insects to bears in amazing ways. The ranchers in the area have had to adjust to this change. Is there really no plausible alternative, for farmers over here, than extermination? What makes people think that other badgers won't slowly repopulate the area as a vaccum is left? What then, more killing? Will that eventually lead to someone deciding that the badgers have to be killed in ever increasing subsequent culls? Surely trying to vaccinate the cattle has to be the most effective long term solution?
Thank You for reading this. Anyone wanting to learn more about ecosystem changes in Yellowstone should read 'Decade of the Wolf' Its very insightful and has a good scientific background.
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Thank You for reading this. Anyone wanting to learn more about ecosystem changes in Yellowstone should read 'Decade of the Wolf' Its very insightful and has a good scientific background.
# posted by : 10:38 PM
: 10:38 PM<< Home
