Badger baiting fear for city sett
THERE are fears badger baiting may be returning to Swansea.
A member of the Glamorgan Badger Group says he believes he disturbed men preparing to dig out a badger sett in the north of the county.
He is urging people to keep a lookout for suspicious behaviour in the countryside over the coming days as New Year's Day is a traditional date for baiting.
However, group member Rob Hughes warned people not to approach anyone they believed to be disturbing a badger sett, but rather to report sightings to the police.
Mr Hughes said: "People who get a kick out of torturing and killing wild animals probably wouldn't react too kindly if you tried to intervene.
"The best thing to do is make a note of any details you can — like descriptions of the people or vehicle registration plates — and report it to the police."
Mr Hughes said he was walking in the hills near Pontlliw early on Boxing Day when he saw two men with dogs near a sett — the badger group regularly monitors the sites of known setts.
"One of the men appeared to be acting as a lookout," he said.
"They were acting suspiciously near the sett. When we approached the area, they ran off."
Mr Hughes said he had reported the incident to the police and the RSPCA.
Badger baiting has been highlighted as one of the main wildlife crimes in Wales, along with the destruction of protected-species habitats for animals such as bats and dormice, the targeting of birds of prey, and poaching.
"South Wales has been identified to a degree as being a hotspot for badger-baiting and digging," said Sergeant Ian Guildford, South Wales Police's wildlife officer who works on secondment to the Countryside Council for Wales.
"Historically, it has been a problem in this area. However, now we are finding that most of the diggers travel away to do it, to the west of Carmarthenshire or Gloucestershire."
He said the practice of baiting was more often driven by "bloodlust" than a desire to remove animals from the land.
Mr Hughes said he feared baiters could now be looking to carry out their activities closer to home.
Gorseinon sector inspector Richie Jones said the police would take action against anyone found to be baiting or digging.
He said: "Badger baiting is illegal.
"Any reports of it taking place will be investigated, and positive action will be taken against any person found committing such an offence."
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by Charles Henry, Somerset
Saturday, February 21 2009, 3:41PM
“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.”
by Marian, Swansea
Wednesday, January 07 2009, 4:20PM
“Hurrah for G. Thomas! An intelligent voice in a sea of tosh! FACT!”
by G.Thomas, Swansea
Wednesday, January 07 2009, 3:47PM
“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.”
by mark, waunarlwydd
Wednesday, December 31 2008, 5:42PM
“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.”
by John Evans, Neath
Wednesday, December 31 2008, 5:33PM
“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”