Save Oxfordshire's Badgers (SOB) STOP THE CULL

We are the Oxfordshire Badger Coalition.

Let us tell you about Oxfordshire's shame - the Badger Cull. Over 5,000 badgers have been killed in Oxfordshire since culling started here in 2020. Every year the cull zones have expanded remorselessly. Currently an estimated 60% of the county is a killing zone and that may grow again in 2023. Up to a further 5,000 badgers may be killed this year alone. Culling should ‘be phased out’ immediately and Natural England should not issue cull licences.

The Badger Cull is far from over.

It seems that the National Farmers Union (NFU) is lobbying the government to intensify and continue badger culling indefinitely. It wants DEFRA to sanction so-called ‘epidemiological culling’ - killing EVERY BADGER in reaction to herd breakdowns. If they get their way, badgers will become locally extinct of across much of Oxfordshire.

Can you imagine Oxfordshire without badgers? Proud, secretive clans slaughtered, their setts, both ancient and new, falling silent, derelict and deserted. The long straight tracks they’ve walked, cub following mother down the generations – all lost and overgrown. It is UNBEARABLE to contemplate.

We cannot let this genocidal atrocity happen.

Badgers need us all to speak up, more than ever before.

Please donate – we need your help run our appeal and spread the word widely.

Oxfordshire is the ‘EPI-CENTRE’ of the Badger Cull.

We say "the Badger Cull was born here. Let’s end it here.

Oxford University’s Department of Zoology is the intellectual home of badger culling. Between 1995- 2005, a group of zoologists, vets and statisticians including many from Oxford University, advised, designed and helped run the Randomised Badger Culling Trials (RBCT). They had two controversial results. One suggested badger culling made no difference to cattle herd breakdowns and another that badgers might potentially cause half of all breakdowns. Overall, it concluded that culling would bring “no meaningful contribution” to Bovine TB (bTB) control in cattle herds. Yet rather than follow the findings, in 2011 DEFRA accepted the NFU’s argument that the solution was to kill at least 70% of badgers over much larger areas. This was piloted in areas of high BTB infection and rolled out across the west of England from 2016.

Since then, new scientific evidence has shown that the RBCT and related research used to justify culling has major statistical issues. Badger culling since 2013 has failed to have any effect on the disease. Despite this, DEFRA and the farming industry lobby seem to be doubling down on their failed badger cull policy.

Epidemiological (reactive) culling proposals

DEFRA is considering introducing ‘epidemiological culling’ in reaction to what it calls new ‘clusters’ of bovine TB outbreaks in cattle herds. Epi-Culling would see ALL (100%) of badgers slaughtered across large areas of the county. Yes, the aim is the local extinction of badgers, including those in areas around the breakdowns with completely healthy badgers with vaccination of any incoming migrants afterwards. The latest scientific evidence shows that this is not only cruel, it would be totally futile. It is ‘reactive' culling that was actually ‘banned’ in 2003 as ineffective. bTB is a disease of cattle, passed from cow to cow. Killing every badger in the UK won’t help control the disease – only better cattle measures can do that.

DEFRA may consult on badger culling policy in September 2023. If Epi-culling gets the go ahead, then the cull would continue forever. Badgers will lose all protection. We expect that two bTB cluster areas in Oxfordshire would become some of the pilots for 100% badger culling 2024-2026 and then it could be rolled out across England.

We need to speak up now – and Oxford University MUST add their influential voices.

Your donation will help save badgers from the threat of epi-culling (Local Extinction)

The Oxfordshire Badger Coalition is raising awareness the CULL IS FAR FROM OVER and the threat that Epidemiological Culling could soon be piloted in the county.

We know that over 80% of people are opposed to the badger cull, but many believe the cull is over or being phased-out. We will make sure they know the truth – that the government is plotting the localised killing ALL our badgers in new, intensive cull zones.

Our campaign aims to protect badgers in Oxfordshire and elsewhere by stopping epidemiological culling. With your help we can make the threat of epidemiological culling an extremely high profile, public issue. We will:

APPEAL - to the conscience, integrity and humanity of decision makers to end the cull

INFORM - raise awareness that culling is not over

MOBILISE - 85% of the public oppose badger culling but many believe it has ended.

EDUCATE - The science shows culling badgers has no impact on bTB control

We need funds to get our message across. Our appeal will:

All funds raised will be managed via Oxfordshire Badger Group (registered charity England & Wales 1186850)

Other ways YOU can help protect badgers:

The Oxfordshire Badger Coalition

For more information visit: Oxfordshire Badger Group