Badger cull widened against advice of scientific chief

Government officials have given the go-ahead for a fresh round of badger culling, starting immediately against advice from their own scientific chief.

- JANE DALTON

Natural England is believed to have authorised supplementary culls for this year in nine areas - from Derbyshire to Wiltshire - as part of a programme that began in 2013 to curb badger populations in an effort to tackle bovine tuberculosis (bTB).

Then, from September, culling periods are also set to be extended in another 10 areas, from the West Country to Northamptonshire and Cumbria, sources say. Natural England’s director of science Dr Peter Brotherton recommended to his own officials that no supplementary culls be carried out this year, saying there was “no justification” for more culling.

The extensions – to last year’s supplementary licences – come as opponents prepare to take the government to court to challenge the culling. The Badger Trust and the Wild Justice organisation, jointly led by naturalist Chris Packham, have won permission for a full judicial review of the policy.

It’s feared the latest culls could mean 5,000 or more adult and cubs will be shot. In its manifesto, Labour promised to end what it dubbed the “ineffective” badger cull. Last year, 10,769 badgers were killed, sources have told