Badger culling in England to control bovine TB in cattle remains one of the most contested wildlife welfare controversies in the UK. Understanding the evidence helps advocates engage constructively.
Badger culling causes direct welfare harm to a protected native species: badgers shot at night sometimes require multiple shots, and cage trapping before shooting causes significant stress. The perturbation effect means culling disrupts badger social groups, potentially causing additional suffering while potentially spreading disease. The independent scientific evidence suggests the effectiveness of culling for TB control is limited and may be counterproductive in some circumstances. Badger vaccination, cattle testing, and movement controls have stronger evidence bases and avoid the welfare harm of culling. Advocates have strong scientific grounds to oppose the culling programme.