Monty Don questions protected status of badgers

[Wendy10]

Has anyone else read this article in FWi News Round up? I can't seem to do a link. I think he is really brave to, apparently, tweet that he sees no reason for badgers being protected.

 

[Yale]

Probably because they cause untold damage by digging up gardens and lawns up and down the country.

Is true though.

Why are they protected?

They are not exactly rare.

 

[Clive]

This is the angle I think should be being taken on this issue - don't use TB in the debate as it just sidetracks things and people start talking pseudo science, vaccines etc and missing the point totally

Badgers are not rare so why do they deserve any protection over that of a fox, rabbit or pidgeon ? There's no logic

Remove their protection and the TB issue will sort itself if they are to blame, famers will do there own free control rather than a paid for cull, People will shoot them for sport just as rabbits, foxes and pigeons are right now and none of those are hunted to extinction

Am I being over simplistic here ? Seems such a logical and simple argument ? How can anyone justify the protected status on a non endangered animal ?

 

[mo!]

Surely the protection is to do with badger baiting. Not something farmers want to be associated with.

 

[Thick Farmer]

Surely the protection is to do with badger baiting. Not something farmers want to be associated with.

I've never early understood this. Who wants to dig holes for fun?

 

[Badshot]

I've never early understood this. Who wants to dig holes for fun?

Pikies

 

[Gulli]

As I understand it, they were protected to combat baiting.

The problem is the type of people who badger bait don't give a toss about the law, so it was a bit of a moot point and has done more harm than good.

 

[Bluetooth]

I've never early understood this. Who wants to dig holes for fun?

you'd be surprised all the work shy layabout scumbags round here seem to love hole digging and killing badgers foxes or whatever else they find. maybe should open up a few mines they'd work for free they seem to like digging that much.

 

[Bluetooth]

it doesn't take too much looking about on facebook to see just how many of them are into 'hunting' as they call it.

 

[Clive]

I can't see why letting farmers and sportmen shoot them like other common vermin should be seen in any different light to the legality of shootng a fox vs hunting it with a dog etc

The badger activists are being a bit hypocritical really, trying to protect badgers while foxes rabbits and pigeons etc are all being legally shot every day

The only justification I can see to protect any wild species in the uk is if it is becoming rare or in any way endangered

 

[rob1]

Not difficult to formulate a law permitting land occupiers to shoot them or people with landowners permission. Still makes it unlaw to bait them

 

[bobk]

you'd be surprised all the work shy layabout scumbags round here seem to love hole digging and killing badgers foxes or whatever else they find. maybe should open up a few mines they'd work for free they seem to like digging that much.

Yep got loads of work shy scum bags but no badgers or foxes , you don't tackle these individuals either . 2 out of 3 ain't bad
.,,

 

[Yale]

Simply make it illegal to dig for badgers.

Allow shooting.

Its not rocket science.

 

[Henery]

Germany has shot, on average 50000 badgers per year for last 10 years, suggest population pretty stable, strange to say that TB not a problem in Germany....how Odd?
There is no justification for protection here now, the sort of muppets that dig them out and bait are hardly likely to be au fait wt the legalities of protection.
Simple solution, remove protection in the high risk TB area for 5 years, then see what we have....a lot less T b restricted herds is my guess.

 

[jimmer]

just like when any other law like this is passed , it pushes the practise (excuse the pun) underground
baiting still goes on in some places i expect
all the law has done is take it out of sight for the originally unlawfull ,and punish the honest and caring farmer trying to protect his business

 

[roscoe erf]

Surely the protection is to do with badger baiting. Not something farmers want to be associated with.

cock fighting is illegal dont see them getting protection

 

[llamedos]

If free shooting is allowed do you not think they may also insist on whole herd slaughter when TB is confirmed?

 

[matthew]

If free shooting is allowed do you not think they may also insist on whole herd slaughter when TB is confirmed?

If more than a certain percentage are found to be reactors at a single test, that happens already.

Story here of one such herd: http://bovinetb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/incarcerated-but-safe.html

In that case, nothing was done about the smaller black and white 'problems' on that farm.

Unfortunately, we have a new generation of graduates occupying Defra / AHVLA who think this problem can be solved by holistic, bio security or vaccination means. The badger is their employment opportunity.

 

[llamedos]

If more than a certain percentage are found to be reactors at a single test, that happens already.

Story here of one such herd: http://bovinetb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/incarcerated-but-safe.html

In that case, nothing was done about the smaller black and white 'problems' on that farm.

Unfortunately, we have a new generation of graduates occupying Defra / AHVLA who think this problem can be solved by holistic, bio security or vaccination means. The badger is their employment opportunity.

Is that not the case for many! and has been for too many years

Re the Monty Don kerfuffle http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Monty-Don-drawn-badger-debate/story-20115627-detail/story.html

 

[Magnificent Earwig]

I see monty has now shut down his twitter feed.