Had this thought,seeing as the RSPB keen to get into other wildlife etc to attract more subs and lots of people commenting on badgers and loads signing petitions if we all members agreed to send a £ to RSPB to fund a vaccination program at least we would be doing something positive and there should be in theory as long as people love badgers over a million £.
Seymour,your comments often amusing,it is said though I am one of only a dozen in the country with no mobile,just never had the need of one,I do recognise they are valuable to lots of people but the amazing thing to me is probably 90% of users always have them switched off.I was just trying to illustrate almost everyone could contribute that amount if they wanted to.
Sorry Sooty it was not meant to be in any way sarcastic, I was very genuine in suggesting you, and I think your suggestion is brilliant, as a bit like you i cannot stand people who argue about something, but cannot suggest an alternative. and I opologise if you think that of me, I feel the RSPCA should in that case be approached to put your suggestion forward and if I can help you in any way feel free to ask. I have some contacts in that field.
Less we forget
This is an interesting suggestion, and is one that I think would have merit if the main objections to vaccinating badgers as a means of control of bovine tb, instead of a cull, was the cost of the vaccines. Unfortunately, at the moment, I think that even if there were more badger vaccination schemes in place there would still be 'trial' culls going ahead - I think that the idea that badgers must be culled if bovine tb is to be brought under control is too firmly entrenched.
I can't see negatives to getting as many badgers as possible vaccinated though (preferably combined with proper scientific studies into how this affects the incidence of bovine tb in both the badger population, and in cattle in the area).
As far as the cost goes, I think that you might be underestimating how far any money raised will go. As an example, the Dorset Wildlife Trust estimated the cost of a five year vaccination program on seven of their reserves to be £45,000. However, the cost of culling badgers is equally high, and vaccination has to be a better option if it can be shown to be at least as 'effective' as culling in reducing bovine tb (which doesn't set the bar too high because the evidence doesn't suggest that culling is a particularly effective method of control).
A number of wildlife trusts already have appeals to raise money for potential vaccination projects:
http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/badgers-and-bovineTB
(scroll down on the above page).
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Skipper,first apologies my comment was obviously too strong,I am really emotional about this subject as I farmed for years and also have enjoyed badgers for years,after retiring a small group of us spent several Saturday afternoons digging badger setts entrances free of clay and stones that it was against the law to put there.
Unless something is done soon it will spiral out of control completely as I have read that it is in some deer on Exmoor now.
Would really appreciate it if you could get the RSPCA to do something as that seems to be perhaps the only solution.
I will have a word,will pm you ,as it not fair to this forum, apologies to rspb. as I tried to say they have enough on. but I believe they can still speak out for other wildlife.