There’s been a recent spike in occurrences of TB in cattle in the UK, a serious issue that affects the ability to produce beef. The current plan is a culling of the badger population around cattle farms with the theory being that they’re transmitting the disease and removing them or greatly reducing their presence in the environment would thus reduce the spread of TB among the cattle.
That’s a business solution but UK environmental group The Badger Trust believes the plan will fail spectacularly and actually increase the spread of TB in cattle. They cite a study concluded in 2007 that found that killing badgers en masse increased the TB spread. Plus they argue that it’s an act of cruelty, particularly since badgers can be difficult to shoot cleanly and will thus suffer as they slowly bleed out and die from partial wounds.