Government condemns 10,000 more badgers while decrying nature crisis

When the Labour Party was elected earlier this year, many people concerned about the nature crisis hoped the change of governance would mean an end to England’s badger cull. After all, the party branded the now over a decade-long massacre of badgers as “ineffective” in its manifesto and pledged to end the cull. These hopes […]

Government adviser tries to intimidate charities defending badgers

Government adviser Natural England has been accused of intimidating both the Badger Trust and Wild Justice as both charities take legal action against the badger cull. Back in May, Natural England approved yet more badger cull licences. It granted nine new Supplementary Badger Control licences and authorised 17 existing licences in 2024 – which were […]

45 years of Bern: The Convention that let down our badgers

bern convention at 45 and badgers

The Bern Convention celebrated its 45th anniversary on 19 September. This treaty broke new ground when countries began signing it back in 1979, as it was the first international agreement to protect both wild species and their habitats. Through the years, Bern has proved instrumental in delivering protections to wildlife. It has also rolled out […]

‘New’ badger cull policy: still not good for badgers

On 30 August, Defra announced “Government to end badger cull with new TB eradication strategy”. It was, they said, the “first Bovine TB strategy in a decade to end the badger cull and drive down TB rates to protect farmers’ livelihood.” This announcement came less than two months after Labour was elected. They had promised […]

Adorable videos of badgers YOU helped save

Last year, Protect the Wild readers helped an East Sussex community to save badgers whose home was at threat from property developers. We’ve revisited the residents to see how the badgers are doing. And it’s great news: they are thriving! For four and a half years, the community was trying to buy a plot – […]

Join our call to protect badgers

Join our call to Protect Badgers One of the country’s most iconic and most protected wild animals is being destroyed. Urged on by the National Farmers Union, what started as a four-year trial killing 70% of badgers in limited areas has now swelled into an all-out attack Already killed in huge numbers on our roads […]

Ireland: Badgers, wildlife crime, and a dangerous legal precedent

Rehabbed badger by Ruari O Leochain

(This post has been written in collaboration with Ruairí Ó Leocháin of ‘Stand with Badgers’. Please note Ruari’s ask at the bottom of the page.) Speaking on wildlife crime in the Irish Examiner last December, veteran environmentalist and Green Party Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan said “We are seeing […]

Badger Cull U-Turn: “Sunak now wants all the badgers dead”

badger

Sunak now wants all the badgers dead and this looks like a last chance grab at getting widespread culling back in place so it is difficult for Labour to scrap it as promised, in favour of the urgent cattle testing policy revisions that Defra have suppressed with their BTB partnership cabal which was recently exposed on the Badger Crowd website.”

Government set to announce ALL badgers can be culled in specific areas

Badger

The government is likely to make an announcement that it is to cull 100% of badgers in specific areas of England from 2026. Back in early 2023, we wrote about Defra’s plan, but it was yet to be officially announced. Now the Independent has stated that the news is likely to become official within the […]

London Badger Cull Protest – Protesting a Decade of Dead Badgers

dead badgers at grafton pet crematorium

Please help protest a decade of the badger cull by coming to London on October 20th. Over the past 10 years, the government has licenced the deaths of a quarter of a million Badgers to protect the dairy industry from a disease of their own making – bovineTB. One of our most protected mammals, 260,000 […]

BADGERS SAVED! With your help, this community has protected badgers!

Ausbert community

A community in East Sussex has protected a badger sett from being destroyed by developers. Their story is an inspiration to us all and a perfect example of how we can save wildlife if we work together. Protect the Wild supporters’ donations were also vital in helping the community purchase the land and save the […]

This community urgently needs your help to save badgers

Despite being a protected animal, badgers are perhaps our most persecuted species. One community in Saltdean, near Brighton, is urgently trying to save a sett of badgers from developers, and they need your help. Protect the Wild spoke to resident Debbie Julians, who, along with her neighbours, is trying to raise enough money to buy […]

Sad Badgers: Protesting the badger cull in Oxford

Yesterday Protect the Wild joined masked- and badger-suited members of the Oxford Badger Coalition and Oxfordshire Badger Group on the streets of Oxford. Under sunny skies and humid conditions (which made wearing a furry, cumbersome badger suit very hard work indeed so kudos to Betty and the rest!) we found ourselves in the midst of […]

The government has set out its stall over culling badgers, and it’s not pretty

Therese Coffey and badger cull operator shooting caged badger

Environment secretary Thérèse Coffey said that she won’t keep to “artificial deadlines” over ending the badger cull. And her words come just as plans were confirmed for tens of thousands more deaths at the hands of farmers. At the opening of the Royal Cornwall Show, Coffey told the public that she believes there is “no […]

Damning new report slates government’s future plans to annihilate badgers

The government has said that it will end the badger cull as we know it by 2026. But it will replace intensive four-year culling with a plan to murder 100% of badgers in specific areas of England. Now a new report – authored by independent researchers, veterinarians, and epidemiologists – argues that these continued plans […]

Northern Ireland: men responsible for fate of badgers have vested interest in cull

Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) is inching closer to culling badgers after it asked companies to submit “expressions of interests to deliver the culling element” of its bovine TB (bTB) strategy. The deadline for applications is today (21 April 2023). The government department said that it will introduce culls in […]

The government murdered 33,627 badgers in 2022. It tested zero for bovine TB

badger

The government, influenced by its farming lobby friends, continues to scapegoat badgers for the spread of bovine tuberculosis (bTB). Yet it didn’t test one of the 33,627 badgers culled in 2022 for the disease. Natural England, which works on behalf of Defra, recently published its figures of the number of badgers murdered in the 2022 […]

Government sanctions killing of 7,500 badgers in Avon since 2019

Badger

England’s badger population is being annihilated, and one of the worst-hit areas is Avon, in the southwest. 1,521 badgers were murdered in the region throughout September and October 2022 during the government’s annual cull. Avon has two ‘cull zones’ which Natural England issues licences for. One zone was in its fourth and final year of […]

As Defra ends vaccination scheme, the fate of badgers is bleak

Badger

As the government’s badger bovine tuberculosis (bTB) vaccination scheme comes to an end, campaigners have accused Defra of pulling the rug from under them. The Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme (BAVS) was due to run from 2019 to 2023. The government provided some funding towards private projects to vaccinate badgers in the so-called ‘Edge Area’ – […]

In his new TV show, Jeremy Clarkson laments that you can’t shoot or gas badgers

The badger is Britain’s most persecuted animal. It is attacked on many fronts – by the government during its annual badger cull, by badger baiters, and by the fox hunting community. But in his new programme, Clarkson’s Farm, Jeremy Clarkson spouts dangerous lies about the creatures. And now the Badger Trust has hit out at […]

Badgers and the Law

Badgers and the Law Badgers are protected in law by the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 (passed to consolidate law previously contained in the Badgers Act 1973, the Badgers Act 1991 and the Badgers (Further Protection) Act 1991) and so are their setts (setts include entrances, tunnels, and underground chambers). Licences may be granted by […]

GUILTY: Terrierman convicted under Protection of Badgers Act

Mark Harris Spooners

On 27 January 2023, Devon County Hunt Saboteurs (DCHS) announced that sabs had secured yet another conviction. Spooners and West Dartmoor Hunt terrierman Mark Harris was found guilty under the Protection of Badgers Act after sabs caught terriermen digging out a badger sett. DCHS said: “Sabs’ actions on the day not only saved the fox’s […]

Badgers face daily persecution recently blocked setts show

Badger

Police in two counties are appealing for information following the discovery of blocked badger setts. And it’s a reminder that one of Britain’s most iconic mammals continues facing daily persecution. On 23rd January, news reports came out of blocked badger setts found in both Lincolnshire and Worcestershire. LincolnshireLive said that police had launched a public […]

What have badgers go to do with the bird shooting industry?

What have badgers got to do with bird shooting? Badgers have been hunted, baited, mistreated, exploited, and treated appallingly by humans for centuries. Both they and their setts are now protected by the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, but since the start of the badger cull – the government-sanctioned killing of a protected species to […]

Baiters in Norfolk are torturing badgers to gain social media status

Masked-up groups in Norfolk are setting their dogs on badgers to kill them, according to local news website Norwich Evening News. The website reported that the gangs are often livestreaming their kills so that viewers can bet on the outcome of the fights between the badgers and the dogs. Norwich Evening News said: “Kevin Murphy, […]

Speaking up for badgers at the Court of Appeal

speaking up for badgers outside court of appeal

Speaking up for badgers at the Court of Appeal On July 21st I posted a podcast (Badger Culls, Biodiversity, Birds, and the High Court) with ecologists Tom Langton and Dominic Woodfield which looked at the background to a challenge they were taking to the Court of Appeal on July 26th (yesterday). The conversation was complex […]

Horrific: Dog forced to fight wildlife loses bottom of his jaw

A man escaped prison on 7 November, despite inflicting the most horrific cruelty on three dogs in his care. 35-year-old Peter Bewsher, from Egremont, Cumbria, received a 12-week suspended sentence after forcing his dogs to fight wild mammals. Bewsher’s property was searched by the RSPCA and the police on 14 February 2024. What they found […]

NORTHERN IRELAND: serial offender shows how court system failing animals

A man from Northern Ireland has been charged yet again with animal cruelty. His case is a prime example of how courts are failing to stop those with a bloodlust for killing animals. 36-year-old Neil Pinkerton didn’t show up at Newtownards court in County Down on 13 October, but his barrister told the District Judge […]

GUILTY! Scotland terrierman convicted of interfering with badger sett

Hunting-related court convictions are becoming a very regular occurrence! This time, a Scottish terrierman has been found guilty at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, Fife, for interfering with a badger sett. 51-year-old Dylan Boyle from the Berwickshire and Fife Hunts was convicted on 13 September, despite pleading not guilty to two charges of digging and blocking the […]

NEW REPORT: A Case for a Proper Ban on Hunting

Protect the Wild’s second annual report on hunting took over six months of meticulous effort by Glen Black, during which he reviewed more than 2,000 individual reports, resulting in one of the most comprehensive analyses of hunting with hounds in modern history. This report will be pivotal in the ongoing campaign to end hunting once […]

Labour government bins inherited badger cull plan

In some rare good news for badgers, the Labour government has binned proposals it inherited from the Conservative government that involved further potentially large-scale killing of the iconic mammal. The move is undoubtedly a welcome one for the conservationists, veterinarians, and organisations, that have been calling for an end to the badger cull. But what […]

SHOCKING MOVE: Labour expands badger cull?

Ahead of winning the recent general election, the Labour Party wooed nature-loving voters by vowing to “end the ineffective badger cull” in its manifesto. However, it appears the government is now considering expanding the cull, after just over one month in power. The badger cull, which has now been running for over a decade, has […]

Flawed science to take center stage in Brian May’s explosive badger cull doc

The BBC will air the documentary Brian May – The Badgers, the Farmers, and Me on 23 August. The landmark film, which was four years in the making, promises to expose the flawed science behind the controversial badger cull. This years-long policy has seen over 230,000 of the beloved mammals killed in the English countryside. […]

GREAT NEWS! Guernsey bans lamping, snares and glue traps

In very welcome news, Guernsey has agreed to ban snares and glue traps as well as the disgusting bloodsport of lamping. On 18 July, the States of Guernsey, which is a self-governing dependency of the UK, voted through seven animal welfare proposals. The news comes as over the water the Labour government is under pressure […]

Unreal: Fox-killing Rees-Moggs to star in reality TV show

Discovery+ has announced that it has made a five-part series about stuffy former Tory MP Rees-Mogg, his wife Helena and their six children. It will, unfortunately, air later this year, and you can bet that ratings will be low – a pattern established by Rees-Mogg’s ‘work’ as a condescending anchor on GB News, a heavily […]

Taking on the bird shooting industry: our plans

end dhooting

At Protect the Wild we say we want three things: to end hunting, end bird shooting, and end the badger cull. Over the last year we have pretty much focussed on hunting with dogs: mainly fox hunting, but in a series of animations and Secret Monitor posts also stag and hind hunting, and hare coursing […]

GRAPHIC IMAGES: Stink Pits – as disgusting as they sound

stink pits as disgusting as they sound

Anyone who comes across one of the shooting industry’s ‘hidden secrets’ will know immediately how stink pits got their name. Also known as middens, stink pits are ‘built’ by gamekeepers on shooting estates. They are pits or piles of dumped rotting mammal and bird carcasses which literally ‘stink’ and are used as bait to lure […]

Labour: cull ‘ineffective’ but will continue anyway?

Labour Party says badger cull ineffective

The Labour party has been vocal in its criticism of the badger cull, and previously pledged to end it if elected. Its manifesto stated that the party would “end the ineffective badger cull”. But is Labour going back on its promise? Shadow Defra Secretary Steve Reed spoke on BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today on Wednesday […]

Another badger dies after being caught in snare

Oakey the badger died from snare wounds. Image via Mid Derbyshire Badger group

Yet another badger has died after becoming trapped in a snare. This needless death is a reminder that whatever the result of the election on 4 July, the new government MUST make all snares illegal. The badger was found in a garden in Belper, Derbyshire, on 10 June, having struggled a short distance from where […]

CONVICTED! Terrierman guilty after terrorising monitors on quad bike

Robert Cundy

Robert Cundy (pictured above), terrierman for the Essex and Suffolk Hunt, pleaded guilty on 14 June to breaking a Community Protection Notice (CPN). A CPN can be issued by a court as punishment for persistent antisocial behaviour. Suffolk Action for Wildlife (SAF) consistently monitors the hunt. Protect the Wild chatted to SAF’s Anna about the […]

Hunting lobbyists desperately claims “we will not give up” as hunting ban looms

The British Hound Sports Association (BHSA), the hunting industry’s cheerleader and supposed regulatory body, has cried “WE WILL NOT GIVE UP” in a last desperate bid to save hunting. Labour is set to win the next election, and has stated in its manifesto that if elected it will ban trail hunting. It is common knowledge […]

Will our vote make a difference for wildlife? Yes.

The General Election will take place on 4 July. Over the years, the Tories have effectively declared war on Britain’s wildlife. But are the other parties any better? Protect the Wild takes a look at their manifestos, and whether they pledge to defend animals. The latest polls give Labour a clear lead, with the Conservatives […]

Labour Party manifesto and the Cull: the key word is ‘ineffective’

Labour Party says badger cull ineffective

The party manifestos are now out. There isn’t really a great deal for us pro-wildlife folk to get excited about, but we are intrigued by a few short lines referring to the badger cull in the Labour Manifesto—specifically the inclusion of the word “ineffective.” That’s because we think, as campaigners against the badger cull, we […]

Rishi Sunak: it’s time to go!

Ahead of a worsening economic outlook and with his personal popularity at a historic low, on May 22nd Rishi Sunak decided ‘enough was enough’ and called a General Election. It was certainly about time. Even without his self-sabotaging gaffes this week – including of course his spectacular lack of respect for the thousands who died […]

THE KILLING CONTINUES: Defra orders new badger cull licences

Earlier this year, Defra (the government department working on behalf of the hunting, shooting, farming and fishing industries) launched a ‘sham consultation’, allegedly seeking input for plans to continue killing badgers for the dairy industry. If the government were to go ahead with those plans, licences might be indefinitely issued to kill 100% of badgers […]

Government badger cull plans on hold

Back in March, Defra (the government department working on behalf of the hunting, shooting, farming and fishing industries) launched a ‘sham consultation’, allegedly seeking input for its pre-decided plans to continue killing badgers for the dairy industry. If the government were to go ahead with those plans, Natural England would issue licences indefinitely to kill 100% […]

The General Election 2024

The General Election 2024 Vote for the wild General elections are crucial for wildlife, the environment, and the climate. And that ultimately means for us, too! How the government decides to support wildlife, its spending plans and its priorities, the legislation it passes or repeals, has a huge impact on everything we love and hold […]

Another hunter sentenced for animal cruelty, but escapes prison

Greg Baker, former huntsman of the Llandeilo Farmers Hunt, has been found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to animals. Five horses and one hound suffered from severe abuse under his care. The Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) and South Wales Hunt Saboteurs stated that the RSPCA had raided Baker’s property, and found that the horses were: […]

Animal abuser King Charles becomes new patron of the RSPCA

The RSPCA is “immensely honoured” that King Charles has become its new patron. Protect the Wild argues that this man, who abuses animals, should never have such a role in an animal welfare charity. This article explores Charles’ bloodlust for killing mammals and birds, and details how his vast estates are shooting playgrounds. The RSPCA […]