Human-wildlife interactions, Pathogens and disease, Practitioners, Research summaries

Badger social structure maintained despite selective culling

In their new study, Allen et al. present a case study in Northern Ireland (NI) showing how selective culling can be less disruptive to badger social structures than indiscriminate culling. This method could be an effective and more socially acceptable means of controlling bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in wildlife. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has raised consciousness on the issue of human disturbance of ecosystems and how this … Continue reading Badger social structure maintained despite selective culling

AER | ESEAugust 9, 2022August 1, 20221 Comment

Editor's Choice, Human-wildlife interactions, Pathogens and disease

Editor’s Choice 56:11 – badger behaviour compromises TB eradication efforts

Our November Editor’s Choice article raises the question of whether the culling of badgers could increase the risk of TB spread in cattle, as badgers in culled areas travel further. Associate Editor, Andrew Park, looks at context and management implications of Ham et al.’s recent findings. Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is an important livestock disease in the UK, where it has been increasing since the 1990s … Continue reading Editor’s Choice 56:11 – badger behaviour compromises TB eradication efforts