<p>With the summer months upon us, the British government is moving forward with another round of badger culls. By their own admission, the program will depend on shooters, who have <strong>no previous experience killing badgers</strong>, hunting free-running badgers during night-time shoots. The cull aims <strong>to kill at least 70% of the badgers</strong> inhabiting the trial areas; unfortunately, estimates of badger populations have proven to be notoriously unreliable, meaning that the cull <strong>risks the local extinction</strong> of these badger populations, an act that violates the terms of the license granted for the culls. Further, a previous trial cull <strong>actually increased incidents of bovine TB</strong> as badgers spread to neighboring areas to establish new social groups. In short, these culls are inhumane, potentially illegal, and scientifically unsound. Rather than killing the badgers, England should adopt a program of vaccination, similar to the trials underway in neighboring Wales. Sign below to save badgers before it’s too late!</p><p>The Timeline:</p><ul><li>September 03, 2013: A <strong>second pilot cull begins in Gloucestershire</strong>, while the UK Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson, refuses either to reveal statistics for the first week of culls or to comment on the humaneness of the killings.</li><li>August 26, 2013: Despite public protests and a clear lack of scientific support, the <strong>badger culls commence in Somerset</strong>, as the British government has opted to ignore these impassioned pleas and forge ahead with its kill-first mentality rather than pursue non-lethal alternatives.</li><li>June 01, 2013: The <strong>window for the two six-week culls begins</strong>. Actual start dates are contingent on weather, vegetation (for cover), and police advice.</li><li>February 27, 2013: <strong>Badger culls</strong> are approved after licensing conditions are met for Gloucestershire and West Somerset.</li></ul>