A REPRIEVE at the eleventh hour has spared thousands of the UK's badgers from the sharpshooter's gun ? at least until next summer. The delayed cull is aimed at curbing the spread of tuberculosis to cattle.
Farmers backed by the UK government had hoped to have begun two pilot culls in south-east England by now. But environment secretary Owen Paterson announced on Tuesday that the guns would stay silent.
One reason for the delay is a new government estimate that there are roughly twice as many badgers in the cull areas as first thought ? about 4300 in west Somerset and 3600 in west Gloucestershire ? raising the cost to farmers of the hired guns.
Thirty-two senior scientists signed an open letter to the UK government earlier this month expressing doubts about the justification for the cull. But Paterson said that "we remain committed to beginning the cull as soon as possible".
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