Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is set to resume its badger vaccination programme this spring – a move which is intended to help reduce the risk of badger to cattle transmission of the disease in the area and show that vaccination is a viable alternative to culling the wild mammals. 

The Trust needs money to buy the vaccine, and is hopeful people can contribute to its public appeal to raise the funds it needs.

Following confirmation that the badger cull had been extended into Staffordshire, Government data showed that 3,979 badgers were killed in the county in 2018.

The charity and the wider Wildlife Trust movement is continuing to urge the government to halt their flawed policy which leads to tens of thousands of badgers being killed every year.

Jeff Sim, Senior Conservation Manager for the Trust, said: “The Trust is very conscious of the hardship that bovine tuberculosis (bTB) causes in the farming community and the need to find the right mechanisms to control the disease. However, we believe that a badger cull is not the answer.

“The Trust believes that vaccination of badgers against bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is currently the most effective way of reducing the risk of badger to cattle transmission of the disease.

“We’re asking people to make a donation to help us fight bovine TB and protect Staffordshire’s badgers. £10 will pay for enough peanuts to bait a trap for two weeks, and £20 will buy a dose of the vaccine and a syringe.” 

Anyone who can contribute to the Trust’s badger appeal should visit www.justgiving.com/badgerappeal

This year is a very special year for Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, marking 50 years since the charity was formed in 1969. To celebrate, the Trust has plenty planned to mark the occasion. Visit www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk/50yearswild to find out more.