Republic’s badger cull ‘not effective’. While people were getting all hot and bothered over Foxes, research being carried out in the Republic Of Ireland has led to the conclusion that “Although feasible, we acknowledge widespread badger removal is not a viable strategy for the long-term control of tuberculosis in the Irish cattle population.”
What did this “Study” involve ?
Dr Elaine King, chief executive for the National Federation of Badger Groups said: “Even if you exclude the moral and political implications of such a strategy, the Irish study does not show whether the effect is large enough to warrant the massive economic cost.”
The trial involved exterminating 2,360 badgers across 1,214 square kilometres in Cork, Donegal, Kilkenny and Monaghan between 1997 and 2002.
Dr King said the Republic had slaughtered over half its badgers but 6.5% of Irish cattle herds were still under TB restriction while in Britain, which has three times more badgers, only 3.6% are restricted.
Badgers are being “culled” in England as well. Of course, that foxes also have been shown to be capable of carrying TB doesn’t seem to have been a consideration in the decision to indulge in this ecological vandalism.
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