A High Court judgment on the lawfulness of the 2014 badger cull is awaited. A criminal investigation is under way on the dangerous and illegal behaviour of culling contractors. Obviously, writes Lesley Docksey, it's the perfect time for Natural England to authorise another round of culling.
… Defying reality - Natural England authorises 'unlawful' cull Lesley … Docksey, it's the perfect time for Natural England to authorise another round of culling. You have to hand it to Natural England. Their timing of their authorisation …
We know the outcome of Defra's latest 'public consultation' on killing badgers long before the results have even been analysed, writes Lesley Docksey. Environment secretary Andrea Leadsom has already promised farmers to extend the cull 'even further' - although it brings no proven benefits. Welcome to the new world of 'alternative facts' that's driving UK government policy.
… consultation and the 'fiction' into science: England's badger cull Lesley Docksey | 27th February 2017 News Badgers UK England Politics Health Science Natural World … conclude: "it is not at all clear how Natural England could be expected to set target …
With the 6th International Conference on Bovine TB under way today in Cardiff, Lesley Docksey reports on Defra's latest statistics. BTB in England is falling - and it's falling fastest where the strongest biosecurity measures are in place, confirming the experience of Wales and Scotland.
… reports on Defra's latest statistics. BTB in England is falling - and it's falling fastest … if by a small amount, the incidence of BTB in England is dropping . For too long have … The number of 'reactor' cattle slaughtered in England between January and March this year …
England's 2013 badger culls collapsed in chaos - a severe blow to Owen Paterson and his Department, Defra. Now Lesley Docksey lifts the lid on the disgraceful fiasco to expose Paterson's fantasy world of 'science' ...
… Politics Badger Cull DEFRA badger-girls.png England's 2013 badger culls collapsed in chaos … beach-loads of sand that Defra and Natural England have shifted in pursuit of killing … TB led to the slaughter of 26,000 cattle in England at a cost of nearly £100 million" . …
Pending the publication of the long-delayed Independent Panel report on the badger cull, Lesley Docksey finds that the fight for England's badgers is part of an even bigger campaign for scientific and political integrity.
… cull - something is rotten in the state of England Lesley Docksey | 24th March 2014 … cull, Lesley Docksey finds that the fight for England's badgers is part of an even bigger … on. And it's no longer just a campaign for England's badgers, it's also one for …
Badgers are having a rough time in England, writes Lesley Docksey. But it's no better in most other European countries, where they enjoy no specific protection and digging, baiting and shooting are widespread. Hence the new Eurobadger coalition formed to campaign for them Europe-wide. The one shining example is Holland - TB-free since 1999 without killing a single badger!
… Docksey | 10th June 2016 Activism Badgers UK England France Germany Netherlands Northern … Badgers are having a rough time in England, writes Lesley Docksey. But it's no … for farmers for land damage. Northern Ireland England is the only part of the United Kingdom …
Bird populations bounce back when farmers devote 10 per cent of their land to nature-friendly measures, a new study finds.
… farming schemes is required to recover England’s farmland bird populations, according … target to halt species abundance declines in England by 2030, with similar timebound EU … currently being developed and piloted in England. This ten-year study measured changes …
Fresh events in the ongoing badger cull saga suggest that despite underhand politics and statistical manipulation, the tide is turning in favour of the badgers..............
… feudal attitude towards wildlife.” Natural England, feudal bastion that it is, is still … the marksmen extra time. But then Natural England’s lead scientist and wildlife … wrote to Poul Christensen, chair of Natural England, saying that granting the Gloucester …
New revelations show that the rifle-wielding badger cullers were often acting criminally, writes Lesley Docksey - pursuing badgers with loaded weapons on both private and public land outside licenced areas, with impunity, while the IEP was apparently kept in the dark. Strict controls are essential - or just an end to the cull.
… - or just an end to the cull. Natural England is responsible for the granting of … (GABS) has been corresponding with Natural England about the trespassing of culling … As GABS says in its latest letter to Natural England: "Our impression is that they defer to …
Wildlife campaigners welcome new legislation and call for a 'sensible' beaver re-introduction to British waterways.
… will provide legal protections for beavers in England and could pave the way for the animals … force in the autumn. In parallel, Natural England is developing guidance on the … huge relief for the restoration of beavers in England that the government have seen sense …
With 29 applications for new badger culls, writes Lesley Docksey, the government still has no idea how many badgers there are in the cull areas, or how many of them have TB. Nor does it want to find out. The badger culling project is getting less scientific by the day - or should that be by the square kilometre?
… the square kilometre? A few days ago Natural England announced that, for this year's badger … to be culled per year is decided by Natural England. But NE doesn't have the staff to … the situation, implemented in 2013. But until England follows the route taken by Wales (e.g. …
New figures just released by Defra show that bovine TB was declining in UK herds - just as Paterson claimed the disease was 'spreading' - and that Wales's no-cull, biosecurity and vaccination policy led to a 24% drop in herd infections.
… The figures are a little confused: they cover England, Wales and Scotland separately, but … and Scotland was falling, it was rising in England, from 3,359 to 3,417 - an increase of … the tide of scientific evidence that has seen England adopt a culling policy, with Northern …
In its report on last year's pilot badger culls, the Independent Expert Panel (IEP) judged that the culls failed the criteria for effectiveness and humaneness, but satisfied those for safety, writes Lesley Docksey. The facts say otherwise.
… had been shot after it was dead. Natural England Compliance Reports show how inadequate … for this. Licences granted by Natural England required that gunmen operated in … were articulate, well-informed Middle Englanders who knew their law and were willing …
The government may want to press ahead with the English badger cull, writes Lesley Docksey. But after the Brexit vote it may just cost too much - for taxpayers and for the farmers who bear part an increasing share of the expense, now facing the loss of the 55% of their income that currently comes from Brussels.
… Leadsom, the new Secretary of State at Defra, England's environment and countryside … of all their other worries. Bovine TB is (for England at least) a problem. But killing …
You would think vets would take animal welfare seriously, writes Lesley Docksey. So why does the British Veterinary Association (BVA) support England's badger cull - when all the science is telling them it's both cruel, and ineffective against Bovine TB?
… British Veterinary Association (BVA) support England's badger cull - when all the science … from the different approaches being taken in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. "We have … the additional cattle measures set out in the England TB strategy. "However, if we are …
Rare large blue butterflies return to the UK in flourishing numbers on restored grasslands.
… and conservation bodies, south-west England now supports the greatest … Wildlife Trusts, J & F Clark Trust, Natural England and Oxford University. The … Entomological Society and funded by Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme - so that …
Rural policing is overstretched and under-resoursed, and the countryside's wildlife could be suffering as a result. LESLEY DOCKSEY reports
… reports People don’t usually associate England’s countryside with crime. Crime … many, full stop. Since 2010 police forces in England and Wales have lost around 21,000 … and her refusal to accept DEFRA’s and Natural England’s ‘No’ answers, finally got a copy of …
Brian May is best known as lead guitarist for the rock band Queen. But as Lesley Docksey discovers, he is also an astrophysicist, and a committed - and highly effective - advocate for Britain's wild animals, including badgers put at risk by England's cull programme.
… animals, including badgers put at risk by England's cull programme. "I always had an … International UK released facts from Natural England, showing that the monitoring of the … reductions of 23%; the equivalent number in England is 6%." An entrenched minority that's …
Sneaked out shortly before MP's Christmas recess, the Government's decision to 'carry on culling' badgers with no evidence that the slaughter is reducing the incidence of bovine TB is a travesty of process, writes Lesley Docksey. But it does have one useful outcome - it has exposed Defra's claims that the cull is 'science-led' as arrant nonsense. Science never even got a look in.
… , Truss claimed that more than half of England (the Low Risk Area) will officially … from a website that maps bTB outbreaks in England for the last 5 years. It is worth … , which is a horrifying prospect for England's badgers. It will almost amount to …
British officialdom and those they serve are obsessed with the killing of wildlife, writes Lesley Docksey. It seems that whatever the 'problem', from bovine TB to the serendipitous arrival of beavers in Devon, the reflex is the same - to kill wild animals. But increasingly, the British people aren't having it. And our fightback is making waves ....
… Conservationists begged to differ and Natural England actually plans to try and double the … stop the burning of the peatlands in Northern England. An RSPB assessment of the scale of burning on England's upland peatlands "revealed at least …
Now we know - the pilot badger culls have inflicted unacceptable cruelty on wild animals and failed to meet their key objective. They may even have spread bovine TB into new areas. Lesley Docksey concludes - its time to call the whole thing off!
… roll-out of badger control in those parts of England most severely affected by this … the period for both culls is what Natural England did. The Panel only looked at the …
In the first of a three part analysis of the ongoing UK badger cull Lesley Docksey examines current and historical data and concludes that the government are simply ignoring the science of epidemiology..........
… Minister for the Environment– he who loves England’s green and pleasant land so much … is so weak I can see no other explanation.” England had and still has a long and sorry … it has emerged. And just 4 Natural England officials will oversee the killing in …
Wales has achieved enviable success in reducing bovine TB in its cattle herds without killing badgers, writes Lesley Docksey. The farming lobby is still demanding an England-style cull, but the Welsh government's 'refreshed' policy on bTB remains firmly science-based and no badgers will be killed without 'objective evidence' of infection.
… The farming lobby is still demanding an England-style cull, but the Welsh government's … need to know just how many badgers culled in England have the disease; whether they are …
Al available science indicates that badgers have little if anything to do with bovine TB in cattle, writes Lesley Docksey. This is reflected in Wales's consultation on its 'refreshed TB Eradication Programme'. We must hope that Northern Ireland's bTB Eradication Strategy will be equally science based - and ready to campaign hard if it relies on cruel, ineffective and expensive badger culls.
… TB over many years, all without resorting to England and Eire's choice - culling badgers. … to and from market. Research in both NI and England has shown that large herds also … without culling badgers. Badger culling in England is not working and despite denials by …