“Sir David King's conclusions. (The government Chief Scientist. now retd). . The world is now waking up to the insanity of continuously killing cattle without culling badgers the main reservoir species of bTB.

1. Badgers are a clear source of infection for cattle. Reducing the density of badgers in those areas of England where there is a significant level of TB in cattle reduces the incidence of TB in cattle in the same area;

2. Removal of badgers should take place alongside the continued application of controls on cattle. Genuine commitment by all interested parties to the overall TB strategy is needed if TB is to be successfully controlled;

3. Removal of badgers is the best option available at the moment to reduce the reservoir of infection in wildlife. But in the longer term, alternative or additional means of controlling TB in badgers, such as vaccination, may become available. Research into these should continue;

4. Removal of badgers should only take place in those areas of the country where there is a high and persistent incidence of TB in cattle. It is not an appropriate measure in other areas.

5. The minimum overall area within which badger removal should take place is 100 km2, although increasing the area would increase the overall benefit;

6. Where there is inaccessible land within the overall removal area, badgers should be removed on the accessible land bordering it;

The full report, including an expanded list of conclusions, can be viewed at the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills website.

Badger baiting is a criminal offence and should be severely delt with.”

“Hurrah for G. Thomas! An intelligent voice in a sea of tosh! FACT!”

“Well by Marks logic; Cats are evil for attacking birds, dogs evil for attacking cats,spiders are evil for attacking flies.... I would also like Mark to be aware that stating "FACT" does nothing to prove his point,just how unknowledgable on the subject he is and that the food chain has no relevance to the point he is trying to make as we do not eat foxes and we as humans are able to thrive as herbivores should we wish. Infact food chain if anything, proves how transparent your argument is; By using your own example of a human killing a newborn baby - human beings are not of stature where they have an instinct to prey for substinance, the nearest we get to that is taking a trip to a supermarket. A wild animal has instinct to prey. Domesticated animals are controlled from this instinct by their owners who meet the food requirements by providing it and the domesticated animal,for example a cat, could possibly still have the urge to prey on a bird or mouse through natural instinct. I will politely suggest you read some appropriate literature and acquaint yourself with some appropriate facts and figures - if you do choose to be familiar with "FACT". It is my personal opinion that any action by a human to cause pain,suffering or death to an animal should be questioned and condemned if found to be inhumane and without merit. If an animal does need to be euthanised ( for being incurably sick or injured as just two examples) there are humane ways to do this. Foxes have nothing to do with this story. For the record, as I will probably be deemed a "do gooder" by the ignorant and factually challenged, I would indeed have an issue if there were rodents or reptiles (such as the ones that have been mentioned) and would take action that did not involve cruelty or unnecessary suffering, as I and many others have done before. Though I am intrigued as to when it is expected that Swansea's about to be infested with snakes,Kenny.”

“yes leigh badger baiting is a big no no and has no place in this world ,longer jail terms and name and shame in papers would be a good idea.”

“Mark you are making the mistake of seeing animals as humans. Animals do not have morals and never will. they are animals and do whats only natural to them.

By the way well said leigh”

“dont know why foxes have been dragged intoi this? We are discussing the criminal practice of badger baiting here (though of course fox hunting is also now illegal!

Looks like we are witnessing a crude attempt here by some contributors t- and i cant think what their motives can be - to divert attention away from some serious local incidences of animal cruelty ie defenceless animals being torn apart by dogs so that sick pathetic people can get some perverted pleasure out of it!”

“john i dont ever recall humans eating greenfly so i thing that point is total rubbish , and i only said a fox is evil for the things i had seen same as if a human killed a newborn in front of its mother , now do you catch my drift ?? and paula from birtchgrove the reason you havent seen many foxes around latley is not sad at all , the young have been kicked out of thier territory to find their own ground and from dec on they pair up to mate so you dont see them in numbers so it goes to show people dont even know the first thing about foxes but have enough to say when a few need to be culled .”

“So a fox is evil, simply by being a fox. Long before man came along the fox was killing to feed it's self and it's young. It's the millions of sheep living in Wales that is not natural. Next you'll be saying the ladybird is also evil for killing the poor little greefly.”

“The do-gooders love anything thats cute and fluffy, but if it was rats, snakes or fish that was being killed none of them would give a toss.”

“totaly against baiting badgers as they dont really cause a nuisance (exept spread TB in cattle or rumoured too) but foxes are an evil killer i have seen fist hand the damage these animals have done to wildlife, sheep wandering around for days looking for their newborn after it was taken by a fox and killed ,also the murdering frenzy on chickens and ground game so i aint have much love for the things , people just like debbie ect just see the pretty fox in the garden looking for the scraps its been left out how cute huh , but truth is they are vile killers with zero mercy , yes they got to eat but so have we and we are at the top of the chain FACT”