“Badger hates Society, and invitations, and dinner, and all that sort of thing.” ― Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows. News that the badger cull in the United Kingdom could be extended this year is disturbing. Farmers are convinced that badgers transmit TB to cattle and the UK government have sanctioned culling to appease that concern. Last year, about 35,000 badgers were killed but the Badger Trust said a leaked document showed plans to cull up to about 64,500 this year. If this is so, then it seems odd given that a vaccine would be the better strategy. Yet, the best way of dealing with TB spread in cattle is through a vaccine. Evidence that culling works in preventing the spread of TB is scant, while data suggests that culling increases the spread of badgers, as they increase their home range. Thus, culling is likely to enhance rather than reduce the risk of TB spread to cattle. Badgers are like we humans. They are n...
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