Anti-badger cull campaigners call on Gloucestershire councillors to back campaign

“Roadwombat is expressing so much ignorance I don't know where to start. Firstly he/she seems to be unaware of the only scientific culling trial ever carried out, which concluded that a cull will not work.
Secondly, there seems to be an implication that "urbanites" are less able to master the art of logical thinking. Personally, I do "understand the countryside." It is that green stuff just outside my window.
Thirdly he/she seems to be suggesting that anyone who adheres to scientific proof is actually a terrorist. It would be much more useful to make interesting logical statements than to deny others from doing so.”

“Gloucestershire County Council land is in fact ratepayers and residents land. If over 90% of voters have said they DON'T want this cull then it should NOT be allowed on Glos Council land.

I was at the meeting last year ( where councilors struggled with the legal issues of tennant farmers contracts etc) With much pushing from a few determined souls it was agreed that they would try to get as much land as they could for the no cull cause.

Notably the TORY councillors did not give a monkeys and either voted against or abstained from the vote - THESE are the ones who are being targetted now, they should represent the majority NOT themselves!”

“Hareymary,

If there have been previous culls on a similar scale (I stress that) which haven't worked, then I'm quite willing to accept what you say in that regard.

There are too many urbanites, however, who have no understanding of countryside management, and only too willing to wade in for the wrong reasons and would use this as an excuse for disorder and disruption. The countryside can do without 'animal rights' terrorists causing no end of problems.

As regards shooting badgers in the dark, that really isn't a problem - it's done with foxes and rabbits all the time. Of course, if people are stupid enough to go cuddling badgers in a cull area, then they'd better be careful!”

“@RoadWombat: You've entirely missed the point: All of the culls so far have not worked; indeed they have made matters worse because of the perturbation effect. And the idea of shooting badgers in the dark is pure madness. There is no evidence whatsoever that badgers are in any way to blame for the disease.

If you are going to suggest experiment, for goodness sake try increasing bio-security on farms and restrictions on the movement of cattle around the country which actually reduced BTB during the Foot and Mouth epidemic at the beginning of this century.”

“It's only an experiment, for gawd's sake! How do you know it won't work if you don't try it?
It's not as if badgers are rare - there are thousands of setts all over the country.

Oh, sorry - I forgot, they're cute to look at, aren't they? But so are rabbits and apart from a few 'right-on', hemp-wearing hippes, no-one objects to controlling their numbers!”

“It's already a political issue since all the evidence, including a new report from Oxford University says that a cull will make matters worse, as badgers leave disturbed setts and head off to pastures new. This means that infected badgers will take the disease to uninfected areas.

So, as the government cannot produce any scientific survey to support a cull, we can only remember that most farmers are Tory voters and the rest vote LibDem. There is no other logical reason for continuing with the cull.”