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Tuesday, 27 November 2018

Poor old badgers

I have been a fan of the badger for more than 70 years and currently looking for a suitable sett on my new patch. Over the past few years the government in its wisdom has been slaughtering badgers in its belief that it will help to reduce BTB in cattle. Close to 100,000 badgers have been killed during this time. A new scientific review found that in some cases they are to blame but they have been carrying an unfair share and puts farming practices in the spotlight instead. The rates of transmission from cow to cow are higher than previously thought. The failure to use basic infection control measures on all farms is severley hampering efforts to get the disease under control. Better and more modern methods of cattle slurry disposal must be implimented. Successive environment ministers have wasted millions of pounds on a wild goose chase while farmers have endured the unnecessary heartbreak of losing herds to the disease. Farmers, as well as badgers have been failed here and the question is why.

Info taken from The Guardian October 22nd 2018.
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17 comments:

  1. Marc Heath27 November 2018 at 07:02

    Such a beautiful animal and one one that should not be persecuted by us humans in the way we do. We seem to have a habit of destroying our countryside well and even worse, the powers that be seem to let it all happen.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mike Attwood28 November 2018 at 00:17

    I had a farmer friend who had 2 setts on his land with cameras and people used to visit in the evenings to watch the badgers and he had no bothers with BTB. His farm yard was always clean.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Phil Slade29 November 2018 at 17:06

    Thank you for that useful and up-to-date information Mike. As usual our Government gets it wrong because they take too much notice of so called experts who are often nothing of the kind, just people working to the wrong agenda.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mike Attwood29 November 2018 at 23:47

      Hi Phil, From the article it appears that Mr. Gove is going to do something about it. Fingers crossed.

      Delete
  4. Ana Mínguez Corella4 December 2018 at 08:52

    Hi Mike!!! Poor animal ... It's very sad what counts ... I love the badger..

    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mike Attwood7 December 2018 at 00:21

      Hi Ana, The badger is my favourite British animal and does not warrant the treatment it gets from the farmers and the government of this country.
      Take care, Mike.

      Delete
  5. Tanza Erlambang - Every Day Issues5 December 2018 at 05:47

    very sad story....
    have a great day

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mike Attwood6 December 2018 at 23:57

      Thankyou Tanza, I have been a supporter of the badger since the early forties when I watched my first one. Regards Mike.

      Delete
  6. David M. Gascoigne,28 December 2018 at 19:28

    One of the great highlights of my last visit to the UK was to "spend time" with badgers in Scotland, and the thought that these enigmatic creatures are being unnecessarily destroyed makes me very sad.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Mike Attwood29 December 2018 at 01:02

    Hi David,
    Thank you for your comments. The badger is indeed a beautiful animal and dearly loved in this country. People are being fed with lies and I believe cattle give BTB to the badgers not the other way round. The badger is the cleanest wild animal by far.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ana Mínguez Corella3 January 2019 at 13:11

    Hello Mike!!!.. Here in Spain we know about the problem of the Badger in England .. It's a shame .. Such a beautiful and nice animal .. In Spain they are difficult to see .. Very distrustful .. My best wishes for you and the badgers in 2019..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mike Attwood4 January 2019 at 10:20

      Thank you Ana, I shall keep up my fight for thr badgers in 2019. My best wishes to you. Take care, Mike.

      Delete
  9. Lasse3 January 2019 at 17:23

    Happy New Year !

    ReplyDelete
  10. Germán Ibarra Zorrilla5 February 2019 at 11:26

    Espectacular!!! Me ha encantado el trabajo que realizas, enhorabuena Mike. Saludos desde España.

    ReplyDelete

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Mike Attwood - Photographer

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About Me

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Evacuated during the second world war to a village in Yorkshire where I lived in the home of a good photographer for more than five years who taught me the basics and a great deal about nature. Well past retirement age I have been a wildlife photographer for more than 30 years. Red Kites have been my speciality for much of this period. I did spend several years snapping wheelchair athletes and organizing the British Road Race Championship. In the year 2000 I was awarded a distinction by the Royal Photographic Society for my portfolio on wheelchair athletes. Most of my pics are digital, using Sony cameras and Sigma lenses. I used to spend many weeks each year with friends in Wales which is close to the Elan Valleys where I got many of my raptor pics. I now get these pictures more closely to home, specially red kites and peregrines. I support my pension by selling my pics, cards, coasters, fridge magnets and key rings etc. at craft fairs, something I wish I had done much earlier in life. I give illustrated talks to clubs and societies on wildlife and other branches of photography that I have been involved in.