Welfare of badgers (Meles meles) subjected to culling: development and evaluation of a closed season

Author:

Woodroffe R,Bourne FJ,Cheeseman CL,Cox DR,Donnelly CA,Gettinby G,McInerney JP,Morrison WI

Abstract

AbstractFor the past 25 years, European badgers (Meles meles) have been subject to culling in Britain in attempts to limit the spread of tuberculosis (TB) to cattle. As part of a far-reaching evaluation of the effectiveness and acceptability of badger culling as a TB control measure, this paper assesses one aspect of the welfare of badger populations subjected to culling: the killing of breeding females, which risks leaving their unweaned cubs to starve in the den. To avoid this possibility, a three-month closed season was adopted, running from 1st February to 30th April, based on the best available estimates of the timing of birth and weaning in British badgers. During May 1999–2003, when a total of 4705 adult badgers were culled, field teams failed to capture 12 unweaned litters when their mothers were despatched. In 31 other cases, lactating females were culled but litters of almost-weaned cubs were also caught and despatched at the same dens, usually within a day of capture of the mother. The number of unweaned cubs missed by culling teams — estimated at approximately nine per year on average — was dramatically lower than that projected by a badger welfare lobby group. Our data suggest that the closed season is effective in reducing the suffering of unweaned cubs in badger populations subject to culling, and we recommend that this measure be maintained should badger culling form a component of any future TB control policy.

Publisher

Cambridge University Press (CUP)

Subject

General Veterinary,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology,Animal Science and Zoology

Reference23 articles.

1. Ewbank, R 2003 Second Independent Audit on the Humaneness of Badger Despatch. Product code PB 8253. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: London, UK. Available at http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/publications/index.htm

2. Kirkwood, JK 2000 Humaneness of MAFF's Badger Despatch Procedures. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: London, UK. Available at http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/publications/auditor/report.htm

3. Meteorological Office 2003 UK Climate and Weather Statistics. Met Office: Exeter, UK. Available at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk

4. Alloparental behaviour in the European badger

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3