Greeny News

signed an open letter calling for a delay in the killing of autumn until the EU has an opportunity to review the file

The UK should delay its plan to kill thousands of badgers fall European governments may ask whether the murder is consistent with the law of conservation of EU actors and celebrities urged an open letter to the government.

pilot designed to reduce TB in cattle, may constitute a violation of the Berne Convention, which protects the wildlife and habitats of the European Union - despite being declared lawful by UK High Court earlier this summer - say the signatories of the letter, including actors Joanna Lumley and Dame Judi Dench, TV presenter Chris Packham and Mark Carwardine and author Jilly Cooper.

The secretariat of Berne, said he believes it is appropriate to ask whether the shooting of badgers by a qualified fencer in Gloucestershire and Somerset in September and violations of the Convention, the United Kingdom, which has signed but his decision making committee will meet not before November.

"The vast majority of scientific evidence indicates that badgers sacrifice ... is not an effective means of controlling BTB [bovine tuberculosis] in cattle and may actually increase the incidence of BTB certain circumstances, "the letter said.

continues: "If, as claimed, the government takes very seriously its responsibilities for wildlife and respect the authority of the Berne Convention, it is logical that all the sacrifice will be delayed until badger 'that the Convention decided whether or not may be a violation. "

Since the environment secretary, Caroline Spelman, has given the green light in July last year for sacrifices badgers in England, proposals have faced criticism from scientists and personalities high as Sir David Attenborough. Activists have predicted that the government reverse after the Welsh Assembly reversed its decision to cull badgers after strong public opposition.

farmers and the government believe that the disease can be transmitted by badgers and cattle, has become a huge cost to the industry. In 2010-11, about 25,000 animals were slaughtered in England, at a cost of 91 million pounds in compensation from the government.

Mark Jones, a veterinarian and director of HSI UK, told the Guardian: "We believe that these creatures emblematic shooting indiscriminately at night and possibly eliminate badgers in certain areas should certainly violated Convention are. asking the government to have the decency to delay the death of Berna may properly consider the matter. With the lives of so many animals that are at stake and despite the overwhelming opposition and conservation science, seems incredibly arrogant government not. "

HSI
Berne filed its complaint in January, but is far from inevitable that it will succeed with the agreement to stop the sacrifices. Berne Bureau meets September 17 and will decide on the evidence presented by the HSI and the British government whether to refer the matter to the Standing Committee in November.