Wildlife Trust urges assembly to pursue bTB vaccine (From Western Telegraph)

Wildlife Trust urges assembly to pursue bTB vaccine

2:32pm Tuesday 13th July 2010 in News

The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales has today (Tuesday) welcomed the announcement that the appeal brought by the Badger Trust against the Welsh Assembly Government’s badger cull proposal has been successful.

The trust now urges WAG to revise its strategy for controlling bovine TB in Wales in the light of the appeal and sound science.

Sarah Kessell, chief executive of the trust said: “The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales has opposed the badger cull from its inception, because research has repeatedly shown that the costs far outweigh the benefits and that culling badgers could make the situation worse.

“Responses we have received show that the cull is also deeply unpopular amongst the general public and some landowners. It is also an unjustifiable cost in these times of financial austerity.

“An alternative strategy is already available and licensed for use, in the form of an injectable vaccine, which presents a better long-term solution for less overall cost.

“We hope that this announcement today will provide an opportunity for the Welsh Assembly Government to re-examine the research available and consider revising their strategy for dealing with this disease”.

She added that all six wildlife trusts in Wales will continue to encourage vaccination and increased biosecurity as the key tools in reducing bovine TB in Wales.