Buxton badgers vaccinated against TB

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has carries out more badger vaccinations at setts near Buxton. Photo by David Gristock

Working with volunteers from Derbyshire Badger Groups, and in partnership with Buxton Civic Association, Poole’s Cavern and Derbyshire County Council, the charity vaccinated at five setts near Buxton.

This follows the first round of vaccinations in Derbyshire, part of a £50,000 five-year programme, at the trust’s Hartington Meadows Nature Reserve in Ashbourne in May.

Along with other trusts, it is working to convince the government that resources and funding should be put into badger vaccination and other solutions to bovine tuberculosis and not into culling.

Tim Birch, the trust’s conservation manager, said: “Badger culling was piloted in Somerset and Gloucestershire last year and these proved to be ineffective and failed the humaneness test.

“While the government has no plans to extend culling this year, we remain concerned that Derbyshire may be selected for future culling programmes.

“We know that bovine TB has devastating consequences for farmers and are pleased to be working with them to demonstrate alternatives to killing badgers.”