May 14, 2007

Drastic culling of badgers (to the point of extinction in places) has not reduced Bovine TB in Ireland, according to a report published by Badger Watch Ireland and the Badger Trust. (full version - pdf) The NFU favours a targeted cull in the UK and there are signs that it will soon get its way, although there are good reasons to think a selective cull does more harm than good.
posted by Plegmund 17 years ago
  • If the lazy fucking farmers kept their animals separate and in designated places, they'd do more to contain this disease than they would by killing the badgers. Cunts. Build and manage some fucking fences instead of killing one of the UK's most impressive animals. Have we not had this debate already here? If so, I'm repeating myself. Especially the 'cunts' bit. BAH!
  • Yep, pretty much was kit said. I was always led to understand minor modifications in husbandry practices and better fencing would prevent more TB and be cheaper.
  • The same issue comes up here in Canada involving Bison: cbc link.
  • And sacred cows, of course. Phil Drabble is against badger culls, and that's good enough for me.
  • Mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, badger badger
  • Well I hope they DO kill badger. And then who will stop me and my weasel chums from taking our rightful place in Toad Hall, eh? Ratty? Mole? I don't fucking think so!
  • We don't need no stinking... ah, forget it.
  • Michael Hordern did Badger on the telly, and he's up there with Phil Drabble in the pantheon of the unassailable, so take your baiting elsewhere quidnunc, or there'll be a sett to.
  • Out in the woods Up to no good I wanna make friends with the badger The woodchuck likes me We smoke pcp I wanna make friends with the badger I mean it! I wanna make friends with the badger For real! I wanna make friends with the Wanna make friends with the Wanna make friends with the badger Get drunk with owls Drop acid with cows I wanna make friends with the badger I'll stand on my head till I'm legally dead I wanna make friends with the badger From the heart I wanna make friends with the badger You know it I wanna make friends with the Wanna make friends with the Wanna make friends with the badger I wanna make friends with the badger The badger's your friend! Make friends with the badger! The badger's your friend! I wanna make friends with the badger Climbing the trees Spreading disease I wanna make friends with the badger I wouldn't lie I wanna make friends with the badger He's my buddy I wanna make friends with the Wanna make friends with the Wanna make friends with the badger I wanna make friends with the badger The badger's your friend! Make friends with the badger! The badger's your friend! Make love to the badger! Ahh, and what kit said.
  • So, Pleg, was this some kind of serindipity at work, or is it Filter inspiration? Don't tell me it was Plegiarisation. And damn you both, I was going to post on Taxidea taxus! It would have been a post with stories! and piktures and lots of squeeeee! And there would have been poems: Badger John Clare When midnight comes a host of dogs and men Go out and track the badger to his den, And put a sack within the hole, and lie Till the old grunting badger passes by. He comes an hears - they let the strongest loose. The old fox gears the noise and drops the goose. The poacher shoots and hurries from the cry, And the old hare half wounded buzzes by. They get a forked stick to bear him down And clap the dogs and take him to the town, And bait him all the day with many dogs, And laugh and shout and fright the scampering hogs. He runs along and bites at all he meets: They shout and hollo down the noisy streets. He turns about to face the loud uproar And drives the rebels to their very door. The frequent stone is hurled where'er they go; When badgers fight, then everyone's a foe. The dogs are clapped and urged to join the fray' The badger turns and drives them all away. Though scarcely half as big, demure and small, He fights with dogs for hours and beats them all. The heavy mastiff, savage in the fray, Lies down and licks his feet and turns away. The bulldog knows his match and waxes cold, The badger grins and never leaves his hold. He drives the crowd and follows at their heels And bites them through - the drunkard swears and reels The frighted women take the boys away, The blackguard laughs and hurries on the fray. He tries to reach the woods, and awkward race, But sticks and cudgels quickly stop the chase. He turns again and drives the noisy crowd And beats the many dogs in noises loud. He drives away and beats them every one, And then they loose them all and set them on. He falls as dead and kicked by boys and men, Then starts and grins and drives the crowd again; Till kicked and torn and beaten out he lies And leaves his hold and crackles, groans, and dies. And tongue twisters: Betty Botter's Biting Beaver Betty Botter bought a beaver. But the beastly beaver bit her. So she bought a biting badger. And the badger bit the beaver. Since the badger bit the beaver, now the beaver will not bite her. So 'twas better Betty Botter bought a beaver-biting badger. Ahh, it would have been like balm to your souls! But you don't deserve it. Oh no, you don't!
  • Drat zorgon and BlueHorse, now I've got the Badger, Badger song running through my head again!
  • save the badgers, kill the cicadas!
  • Clearly badgers are in the air at the moment. *glances nervously over shoulder*
  • You ain't kidding
  • We don't need no stinking badgers. ...sorry...
  • Major Brock of the Royal Badger Assault Regiment said: "Of course these animals are nothing to do with us. Just because they are the Gurkhas of the animal world does not mean Her Majesty's Forces have co-opted them into our Iraqi strategy." So there.
  • I wish someone would put a giant badger in Bush's pants. *sighs for the good old days of CIA plotting
  • Where can I get a vuvuzela?
  • Get out the vuvuzela and call the badgers to war!! Good grief! They're talking about culling them and then eating them. How stupid. In other, better, news, there's a plan to immunize the badgers against TB. This post obviously calls for a badger picture.
  • Badger Badger! WTF?