Shocking badger kill figures released 25th February 2004 Figures just released show that more than 27,000 badgers have been killed by the Department of Agriculture since 1995. The Department's controversial TB Eradication scheme which blames badgers for disease spread has been condemned as "slaughter masquerading as science". According to Badger Watch Ireland, the estimated number of badgers killed in the last two decades by the Department of Agriculture may be as high as 50,000. Most would certainly have been healthy and TB-free. Bernie Barrett of Badger Watch describes how badgers are suffering under the Department’s Scheme: "The method of capture is a barbaric wire snare which holds the helpless badger in excruciating pain until it is dispatched by gunshot. That’s provided the animal has not agonisingly strangled itself beforehand. When nursing female badgers are snared and shot, their cubs are left to starve to death underground." The Department receives a licence to snare and kill badgers from Minister for the Environment, Martin Cullen. Minister Cullen has dismissed calls for his Department to stop issuing licences which allow a protected animal to be killed. Serious questions remain unanswered in relation to this issue of badger persecution. ICABS and Badgerwatch have seen a copy of the minutes of a meeting of officials in the Central Veterinary Laboratory in Abbottstown, where snared badgers are taken for testing. An official is quoted in the minutes as referring to the "badger charade" and saying that he saw the lab as "a knackery to dump badgers". Dail questions asked this month by Green Party TD, Trevor Sargent, have revealed the extent of the Department of Agriculture's assault on the badger. Please see below for full details of badgers killed in each county along with figures for the number of licences issued to snare badgers. Bernie Barrett of Badger Watch describes how badgers are suffering under the Department’s Scheme: "The method of capture is a barbaric wire snare which holds the helpless badger in excruciating pain until it is dispatched by gunshot. That’s provided the animal has not agonisingly strangled itself beforehand. When nursing female badgers are snared and shot, their cubs are left to starve to death underground." Parliamentary Q&A: Badger slaughter Question 231 - Answered on 17th February, 2004 Trevor Sargent: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of badgers that were killed in each of the 26 counties for each of the years from 1995 through to 2003. Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh): The following table sets out the information requested for the years 1995-2002. The figures for 2003 are not yet available. County 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 CARLOW 0 108 72 116 157 114 41 142 CAVAN 176 146 63 87 81 240 98 186 CLARE 239 219 159 151 338 286 134 183 CORK 92 138 209 500 423 323 379 525 DONEGAL 36 65 171 134 165 119 68 88 DUBLIN 0 3 0 3 32 5 0 1 GALWAY 58 105 8 40 48 76 85 83 KERRY 15 34 24 7 61 170 122 162 KILDARE 8 15 22 16 24 165 25 290 KILKENNY 307 439 366 261 297 243 209 233 LAOIS 103 306 139 139 91 135 76 191 LEITRIM 30 52 55 23 173 253 229 227 LIMERICK 22 45 32 66 87 119 18 146 LONGFORD 99 68 88 72 105 165 108 147 LOUTH 0 0 15 19 40 131 52 111 MAYO 112 65 22 31 30 173 373 424 MEATH 19 0 0 10 17 11 164 412 MONAGHAN 132 233 141 194 249 464 212 331 OFFALY 110 240 204 167 224 315 126 352 ROSCOMMON 0 236 79 45 108 186 166 413 SLIGO 84 92 56 156 124 346 219 290 TIPPERARY 161 230 126 114 303 351 199 306 WATERFORD 18 29 1 51 67 43 115 330 WESTMEATH 84 229 84 45 86 74 0 103 WEXFORD 89 21 18 17 75 98 192 181 WICKLOW 17 39 17 10 128 122 148 258                   TOTALS 2011 3157 2171 2 474 3533 4727 3558 6115 Question 493 - Answered on 17th February, 2004 Trevor Sargent: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of licences which have been issued by the national parks and wildlife service division of his Department under section 23(6) of the Wildlife Acts 1976 and 2000, specifically for the capture of humane killings of badgers for each of the 26 counties in each of the years from 1995 through to 2003. Question 494 - Answered on 17th February, 2004 Trevor Sargent: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the estimated badger population; the total number and the number per square kilometre in each of the 26 counties for each of the years from 1995 through to 2003; and the confidence limits of the estimates. Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Cullen): I propose to take Questions Nos. 493 and 494 together. My Department is responsible for the issue of licences under Section 23 of the Wildlife Acts 1976 and 2000 to the Department of Agriculture and Food to capture and humanely kill badgers as part of its continued research into bovine tuberculosis. The numbers of licences issued since 1995 are as follows: 1995 337 licences 1996 329 licences 1997 423 licences 1998 361 licences 1999 503 licences 2000 591 licences 2001 477 licences 2002 810 licences 2003 383 licences My Department does not have to hand the breakdown of these figures per county; however this information is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible. The most recent survey of the badger population was carried out in 1995. The badger and habitat survey of Ireland was funded by the national parks and wildlife service and the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. This report, estimated that there was a badger population of the order of 200,000 in Ireland. While no county or local breakdown of population numbers was provided, the report gives some statistics on regional variations in the density of badger social groups by county. The lowest densities were in several western and north-western counties and in Wicklow, these counties being generally distinguished by their large areas of upland, bog or moor. The six counties with the highest badger densities were all located in the broad midland zone, Kilkenny, Louth, Limerick, Meath, Offaly and Westmeath - counties with a relatively large proportion of quality grazing land. Three further counties, Carlow, Clare and Cork, had slightly lower densities. The lowest density was recorded from County Longford and the highest from County Kilkenny. I am arranging for a copy of "The Badger and Habitat Survey of Ireland" to be forwarded to the Deputy and also for a copy to be placed in the Oireachtas Library. Question 99 - Answered on 18th February, 2004 Dan Boyle: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the description of his Department's tuberculosis eradication scheme as a cruel slaughter of badgers masquerading as science; if he will review the policy in favour of more scientific and more compassionate methods to prevent the spread of tuberculosis; and his views on the Krebs experiment in the UK which has seen a suspension of reactive culling of badgers. Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh): The bovine tuberculosis eradication scheme is carried out in full compliance with EU Directive 64/432. This has reduced the level of tuberculosis in cattle from 17% in 1955 to 0.3% in 2003. It is now accepted that the presence of an infected maintenance host, the badger, is a major constraint to the final eradication of tuberculosis from the national herd. A multi-disciplined research programme involving staff from the Department, Teagasc and the universities is making significant progress in identifying improvements to the eradication programme. This research is driven by science. Significant progress is also being made on the development of a vaccine strategy for the badger population. In this, my Department and others are in collaboration with scientific colleagues in the UK and New Zealand. The present policy is scientifically based and under constant review. For instance, this year changes include a more focused contiguous herd testing policy, more use of the ancillary gamma interferon blood test in target herds and a new enhanced computer system which will improve our analytical capacity.The results of the four area study into the effect of local area badger removal will be published in the near future. This study is expected to confirm the results of the earlier east Offaly study, which indicated a significant effect on bovine tuberculosis levels following removal of badgers from an area. Under the PPF a new wildlife unit has been introduced to focus on the TB blackspot areas of the country. The removal of badgers is carried out by trained staff and badger welfare is a major element in the working of the programme. With reference to the Krebs experiment in the UK, detailed data relating to the trial have not been published by the UK authorities and, therefore, it would not be appropriate to comment at this stage. While the suspension of reactive culling of badgers has been noted, it is not possible to extrapolate the position to this country as the ecology of the badger is different here - for example, in the UK 70% of setts are in woodland and 30% in pasture, while the reverse applies in Ireland and the social group size is different. The method of capture is also unlike that practised here in that the UK uses the caged trapping method whereas we use restraints for trapping. We did experiment with caged trapping but found no advantages from a welfare point of view. ICABS Action Item: Save the Irish Badger To find out what you can do to help save badgers from the Department of Agriculture's mass slaughter, please Click Here. For more information on badgers and the campaign to protect them, please visit the website of Badgerwatch Ireland News Menu | Join | Top | Home