A reprieve for Badgers

Today is not only a good day for badgers in parts of Wales but for democracy too as the result came through that three high court judges have ruled against the proposed badger cull in North Pembrokeshire and a parts of Ceredigion. It is clear that the Welsh Assembly Government have made serious errors in their interpretation of the science involved in the case involving badgers and bovine TB. Clearly there are grey areas which the Welsh Assembly Government need to address before they can have any hope of progressing further with their proposed plans. The judges rightly recognised the disquiet amongst the British public at the thought of such a controversial cull taking place in such a popular area of Wales visited by many tourists. It is clear that the long term cull which has taken place in Ireland has been ineffective and the call there now is for a regime of vaccination in cattle. This surely must be the way forward for Welsh farmers. I imagine there will be many in the farming community who will be extremely aggrieved by the decision of the judges today and some may indeed take the law into their own hands and clandestinely kill badgers at every opportunity but let it be said that in law the badger is a protected animal and that there are citizens who will be willing to testify against such unlawful actions should they arise. Lets hope that common sense and restraint will be exercised now and that a scientific solution will be found to the serious problem of bovine TB. I urge farmers not to make the badger a 'scapegoat'. I personally have the highest regard for the farming community and I'm convinced that it is only a matter of time before a solution is found to this problem in the meantime I ask that the badger, one of Britain's most ancient and endearing animals, be left in peace to live out its daily life without the intervention of man.
I must commend the Badger Trust and the South and West Wales Wildlife Trust and many individuals besides for sticking to their guns on this issue it certainly restores one's faith in the democratic rule of law.

Once again I beg forgiveness from the birding community for mentioning this matter on a bird blog but I'm sure many of you will know that one of the staunchest opponents of the proposed badger cull is none other than our own renowned badger man Gareth Morgan from Newtown. He will undoubtedly be very pleased indeed with the news received today.