Wildlife Welfare

Wild Badger Welfare and TB Control

Badger culling for bovine TB control raises complex welfare questions for individual badgers. Understanding the evidence and welfare implications guides proportionate responses.

Key Facts

Badger culling in TB hotspots is government policy to reduce bTB in cattle
Culling methods include shooting, which can cause injury and non-immediate death
Badger vaccination with BCG reduces bTB prevalence as effectively as culling in some studies
Perturbation of culled badger populations may increase TB spread in border areas
The welfare cost to individual badgers from culling is significant and contested

Welfare Considerations

Badger culling raises significant welfare concerns for individual animals. Vaccination offers an alternative that achieves similar disease control outcomes without the same welfare cost.

What You Can Do

Support badger vaccination programmes as an alternative to culling
Advocate for expanded vaccination coverage in TB hotspot areas
Learn about the evidence comparing culling and vaccination for bTB control
Support research into badger-cattle TB transmission and control approaches