Wildlife

Wild Badger Social Welfare and bTB

Badger social welfare involves group living in setts with complex social bonds, and management for bovine tuberculosis control creates significant welfare trade-offs.

Key Facts

Badger social groups of 2-23 individuals share territories and setts in close proximity
Badger culling for bTB control kills tens of thousands of animals annually across England
Badger vaccination with BCG is effective at reducing bTB in badgers but requires sustained effort
Perturbation of badger social groups through culling may increase bTB spread in surrounding areas
The Badger Trust opposes culling and advocates for vaccination as the more welfare-positive approach

Welfare Considerations

Badger welfare involves complex trade-offs between individual badgers and cattle suffering from bTB. The scientific debate about culling effectiveness and social perturbation continues.

What You Can Do

Support badger vaccination programmes as a welfare-positive alternative to culling
Engage with evidence-based information on badger management from multiple perspectives
Report badger sett disturbance to the Badger Trust and local police