Badger cull to go ahead

[Ovenpaa]

Sadly this just confirms my suspicion as to the worth of such on-line petitions.

[Christel]

why don't you want to try a limited cull ?

Ah, just spotted this question and boy oh boy am I glad someone asked it!

Culling badgers will solve some of the problem, no doubt about that.
Badgers are carriers of TB and because they move around in the landscape they spread the disease. Cows graze and pick up the badger faeces and urine along the way hence getting infected. Very often the grazing plan by the farmer is not that good and that is another problem when it comes to getting infected, this is due to intensive farming, no time and even less money.
If one gets rid of one species then one will minimise the problem however it is very likely that another problem will arise because everything is linked. The original problem may come back as well because it was not really gone, just suppressed. No offense to chickens however it is chicken logic and in the real world it does not work.
There are other species who are carriers. Cull them as well? The landscape will look rather empty after awhile if this approach is taken. We can't isolate the cows so...
...unless the government bite the bullet and invest in a vaccination that works and rolls it out the disease will keep spreading.

Culling a species is such an easy solution, shame on the decision makers

[spud]

Oh I don't know, from what I've seen around here recently I could be persuaded.

+1
+1
+1

[whoowhoop]

I usually try to avoid adding fuel to such emotive debates. There is little point in trying to discuss with folk who have such entrenched views.
I know where I stand, and thats what matters to me.
But - cautiously raises head above parapet....

I have no time for the RSPCA, having dealt with them professionally on more than one occasion, but their arrogance is beyond belief. If they support animal welfare ( give us your money, or the puppy dies...) why do they only seem to side with the badger? They weren't crying over the slaughtered cattle, in fact they now have the front to try to further ruin the dairy industry by backing a boycott of stores who dare to sell British milk, and calling for the tourism industry of an area already suffering from a poor season, to be campaigned against.
WTF?
I have no time for Brian May, Bill Oddie and the others of that ilk who will not allow the fact that anybody else may have something to say about the matter.
Badgers are not an endangered species, they are the most protected unendangered species, apart from some sections of our "community". Numbers have increased rapidly. I come across badgers in places where none have been found for decades. That is not a healthy situation, even for the badger. ( sorry meles - no nookie tonight).
I know farmers who are terrified of any badgers moving in their land, terrified at the thought of losing everything for no fault of their own, and being powerless to prevent it.

Funny how, when hunting was in the spotlight, the anti "experts" kept reciting the line that " trained marksmen" could shoot the foxes, that was ok.
Now that the same accredited shooters will be shooting badgers over static baits at 70 yards, it seems it will result in hundreds of wounded badgers limping around to die painful deaths, and the countryside ablaze with hot lead flying around willy nilly.

So now you are in no doubt where I stand on this matter, I will go and be quiet again for a bit now.
I expect some will disagree with me for their own reasons, some will have no interest, a few may agree and no doubt a couple will get all passionate and upset.
Fine by me. Its still a fairly free country.

[Dougan]

The e-petition has reached 100.000.

Then there will be further discussion in parliament.....

[meles meles]

Meanwhile, we're sandbagging the front door of the sett and continuing to stock up on canned bangs...

[Dougan]

I have no time for the RSPCA, having dealt with them professionally on more than one occasion, but their arrogance is beyond belief. If they support animal welfare ( give us your money, or the puppy dies...) why do they only seem to side with the badger? They weren't crying over the slaughtered cattle, in fact they now have the front to try to further ruin the dairy industry by backing a boycott of stores who dare to sell British milk, and calling for the tourism industry of an area already suffering from a poor season, to be campaigned against.
WTF?

I don't know what level of contact you've had with the RSPCA, but it's a shame as their overall philosophy is sound - and they are involved in the protection of 'all animals', including farm animals....

... I do know what you're talking about though, having worked for Greenpeace at 'ground level'...and having been virtually ostracised by some for not being vegetarian!

Btw: I haven't heard of them condoning a boycott on British milk (which I would not agree with)...do you have some info on it...?


All specific arguments aside (and not aimed directly at you WW) - when it comes to the question of culling animals when they cause us a problem.....as they will never cause us the degree of problems that we cause them, and as we have all the control.....what's wrong with just being compassionate?

[Sandgroper]

when it comes to the question of culling animals when they cause us a problem.....as they will never cause us the degree of problems that we cause them, and as we have all the control.....what's wrong with just being compassionate?

This is on a slightly different track to the OP, but my view is when humans remove the natural predators of any species, then it up to us to take the place of those predators and control the prey species - if that means periodic culling, then so be it.

A balance must be maintained - allowing a species' population to grow to such an extent that starvation and/or disease results is not compassion - it's cruelty. For me, this includes any alien (non native) species that poses a threat to the native ecology.

[Christel]

This is my opinion :)

I care deeply for farming, farmers, livestock and production methods. Farmers are not paid enough which affects the livestock and the production methods, farmers are not paid enough because the supermarkets do not pay them for their goods because the consumer will not pay premium because the consumer is not aware of where things come from and what it costs which is essentially a lack of education. Which then mean the consumer is eating crap.

Regardless of what the antis or Bryan May is doing or saying I stand by what I believe in that the badger population is NOT to blame for a problem that ought to be resolved in a decent and humane way. At the end of the day our actions reflect on us...if we cull a species we have given up.

BTW...this is what Ovenpaa is subjected to for dinner these days.
http://www.lookwhatwefound.co.uk/landing

tongueout

[meles meles]

*reads Sandgroper's post, makes notes*

So, ooman, seeing as you're no longer predated by sabre tooth tigers and so forth, is it okay for us to take on the responsibility of culling you ?