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We’ve gone back to 2013 for #badgermonday today. When the cull began we could not have hoped to have maintained a presence in the cull zones for so many years, but we have. And THAT has been down to unquestioned dedication and commitment from those of us exercising our right to protest against what continues to be an inhumane, ineffective and unscientific policy. WE FIGHT ON!
This is a Conservative policy, so consider that when you vote on Thursday. ... See MoreSee Less

22 hours ago ·

We've been sent the most amazing ice sculpture photo from Winter Wonderland in London. Badgers have taken their rightful place in amongst the other sculptures so try and find them if you are going. However, London is a fair way to go and so you can find us and some stunning raffle prizes and a tombola at the Frome Vegan market tomorrow.

Come and find us and say hi! All the money raised helps us to keep standing up for badgers, conservation and science in Somerset. ... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago ·

Somerset Against The Badger Cull shared a post.

BADGER SHOT IN STOMACH NEAR PILTON & LEFT TO DIE IN AGONY

During the seven-eight years of the official badger cull, starting in West Somerset and gradually expanding to cover other areas within Somerset, the activities of Somerset Against the Badger Cull have increased exponentially. From the initial patrols with people travelling from across the country to register their opposition to the badger cull policy by their public presence on footpaths, more and more people keep an eye on their local setts all year round.

This is the story of two people who do just that and what they found on the night of the 11th October around 21.00

"We check many setts around Somerset and this particular one lies close to a lane. We had been in the area, not far away, during the first few nights of the cull and heard a shot which we called into Avon & Somerset Police. The onset of the cull hadn't been announced by the Government so we were concerned that someone might be shooting badgers illegally. A police car arrived swiftly and the police officer told us 'it's culling season and a cull operative is killing badgers to protect cattle from bovine TB'.

We totally disagree that killing badgers protects cattle from bovine TB but at least we knew that the official cull had started though we only had his word that it was a legal cull operative.

Lack of clarity and transparency from the Government means our trust is hard to gain.

A few weeks later, when we checked one of the setts not far away, our faint torchlight picked up the outline of a dead badger. We have seen plenty of dead badgers before but never one so close to a sett and he looked as if he'd simply collapsed on his way to an entrance. His body was cool but not stiff and we reckoned he'd died the evening before. There was no sign that any scavengers had torn into his body and his wounds didn't look consistent with a road traffic accident. Had he been shot? And was he part of the cull operation? So many badgers are reported as 'shot and missed' by cull operatives in the official reports but the IEP (Independent Expert Panel) reported that many are 'shot, wounded and not picked up'. We know all this but when you're faced with a dead badger, what do you do?

Luckily, Somerset Badger Group facilitated an examination by the RSPCA and their results confirm that he was shot. The badger as it turned out had been shot illegally, and officially is a statistic that shows an increase in badger persecution throughout Somerset since the onset of the cull in 2013.

To us, personally, he's much more than this. It's obvious from the weight of his body that he was in really excellent condition. We wish there were funds available to prove that he didn't have bTB but other bodies retrieved by people like us in Somerset that have undergone rigorous testing (Badger 102, 200 & 41) all tested negative for bTB. What we've proved with the help of SBG and RSPCA is that it's not easy to shoot badgers humanely - instead who knows how many stagger off like this badger, shot in the stomach, with massive internal bleeding, trying to get back to safety. Some might get there and down into their holes where they die later. From the smell, many of our friends in SABC have found holes that obviously have a dead badger inside - how many of those have been shot?

The hatred against badgers by those pro-cull is visceral and the lack of clarity and transparency from the Government is shocking. It's only by checking and re-checking setts can we have an inkling of what's really going on. The story of this dead badger is 'our's' but he's not alone. Sadly. And, yes, we will go on checking, searching and reporting because we cannot let these wildlife criminals get away with it. ... See MoreSee Less

6 days ago ·

We’re gonna be in #Frome this Saturday for the vegan market at the Cheese & Grain. Lots of lovely prizes in our tombola as well as Christmas cards and badges too! Help support our campaign to stand up for badgers, conservation and science across Somerset.

Thanks to you we’re still going seven (almost eight) years on! ... See MoreSee Less

7 days ago ·

Five things we learned at Taunton hustings for the General Election

Thanks to our man at the hustings in Taunton last week, the election candidates were asked about the badger cull with only Labour stating that they would end the cull.

www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/five-things-learned-taunton-hustings-3595928.amp ... See MoreSee Less

www.somersetlive.co.uk

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