Wildlife

Wild Badger Tuberculosis Testing Welfare

Tuberculosis testing of wild badgers in the UK involves capture, handling, and sampling that carries inherent welfare considerations.

Key Facts

Live cage trapping is used to capture badgers for TB testing
Stress hormones rise significantly during trap confinement
Blood sampling and DIVA test administration require skilled handling
Traps must be checked frequently to reduce confinement time
Test sensitivity in badgers is lower than in cattle

Welfare Considerations

Trapping and handling wild badgers causes acute stress. Welfare codes require regular trap checks and minimising handling time. Where culling is the alternative, welfare comparisons must account for the suffering caused by trapping versus lethal control.

What You Can Do

Support evidence-based bovine TB policies that consider badger welfare
Advocate for rapid trap-check requirements in culling and testing programmes
Follow research into effective badger vaccination delivery systems