Tens of thousands of Britain's badgers face the threat of a massive, unprecedented cull. This killing would defy official recommendations from a 10-year study that the much-loved badgers should be spared, but the minister responsible believes that it cannot legally be stopped.

Farmers, landowners and vets are drawing up detailed plans for a mass extermination of badgers over a vast area of the West Country in the hope of controlling tuberculosis infections in cattle. They hope to start killing the animals this summer and plan to repeat the operation annually for the next three years. The proposed cull area includes Britain's best-known badgers, on the Fishleigh Estate near Okehampton, whose antics have delighted millions on BBC2's Springwatch.

The plan flies in the face of the conclusions of the official Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB headed by Professor John Bourne, which concluded that killing badgers "cannot meaningfully contribute" to controlling the disease, and might even increase its spread. Culling badgers only makes things worse, as infected animals flee the killing fields and thereby infect new areas. It is also more effective to control the cattle trade and erect electric fences to keep badgers out of barns. Most of the TB  cases in the cattle, as much as 70 %, are caught from other cattle, not from badgers. This killing is therefore senseless, cruel and needless. Please sign to save the British badgers!

(Source: Independent on Sunday, http://environment.independent.co.uk/nature/article3293973.ece)

Dear Sir,

We, the undersigned, ask that the much-loved British badgers be saved from this unprecendented, massive and cruel cull. This plan is senseless and flies in the face of the conclusions of the official Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB headed by Professor John Bourne. It concluded that killing badgers "cannot meaningfully contribute" to controlling the disease, and might even increase its spread when possibly infected animals flee the killing fields. Please act to save the British badgers which are much loved all around the world, before it is too late.

We thank you for taking the time to read our letter and hope to hear from you soon.