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www.rspca.org.uksciencegroupwildlife24Sciencegroupreviewof2012BadgercullcontroversyTocullornottocullcontinuestobethequestionfeaturingattheheartofmuchoftheongoingdebateaboutbadgersandbovinetuberculosis.TheRSPCAwelcomedtheWelshGovernmentdecisiontopursueabadgervaccinationprojectintheIntensiveActionAreainPembrokeshireaspartofitsstrategicframeworkforbTBeradication.ThisfollowedareviewofthescientificevidencecommissionedbytheMinisterforEnvironmentandSustainableDevelopment.Bytheendoftheyearabout1400badgershadbeenvaccinated.HoweverinEnglandDefracontinuedtopursueapolicyinvolvinglicensingfarmerstocullbadgers.TwoareaswereselectedforpilotcullsinWestSomersetandWestGloucestershire.Applicantswererequiredtomeetvariouscriteriaincludingcullingatleast70percentofthebadgerpopulation.ThisrequiredrobustevidenceregardingthenumberofbadgersinthespecificareasaswashighlightedbyanimportantletterinthejournalNaturefromtworesearchscientists.TheRSPCAsubmittedanevidencestatementinsupportoftheBadgerTrustsapplicationforJudicialReviewinwhichweindicatedsomeoftheproblemsandscientificuncertaintiesbutwhilstrecognisingthescientificcontroversythedecisionwasbasedsolelyonlegalinterpretationandtheapplicationfailed.Anotherscientificchallengeemergedjustbeforecullingwasduetocommencewithmorethan30eminentscientistssigningalettertoTheObserverurgingthegovernmenttoreconsideritsstrategy.HoweverplansforthepilotcullswerepostponedlateinOctoberwhenspecificsurveysrevealedthatbadgernumbersintheareaswereroughlydoublethatinitiallyestimatedanditwasconsideredunlikelythatacullcouldbecompletedsolateintheyear.iStockAndrewForsythRSPCAPhotolibrarySamiulMohsaninRSPCAMallydamsWoodTheRSPCAconsidersexoticstobewildanimalsincaptivitybecausetheyhavenotundergonethesameperiodofdomesticationasmorefamiliarpetslikecatsanddogs.Theirneedscanbechallengingtomeetbecausetheyaretiedtotheanimalsnaturalwayoflifeinthewild.Webelievesomeexoticslikeprimatesareunsuitableaspetsbecausetheyhavesuchhighlycomplexneeds.Reliabledataisscarcebutexoticpetsdoappeartobeincreasinginpopularity1.TheRSPCAisfacinggrowingnumbersofincidentsrelatingtocertainexoticssuchasbeardeddragonsandmeerkats2.ExoticpetswerechosenasthefocusofoneoffiveRSPCAPledgeslaunchedinFebruary2012.Whilethepledge3coversallnon-domesticspeciesworkisinitiallyfocusingonreptilesandprimates.Thisyearhasbeenoneoflayinggroundworkandassessingpriorities.Wehaveproducedafundraisingandprojectbriefoutliningthepledgerationalemajorworkplansandassociatedcostssoughttobuildlinkswithotherindividualsandorganisationsdeterminedknowledgegapshighlightedareasforresearchandinitiatedprojectsandparticipatedinknowledgesharingthroughattendanceatconferences.Wehavealsobeenworkinginternallytoenhancetrainingforfieldstaffinvestindevelopmentandtrainingofspecialistfieldofficersanddevelopanetworkofboardingfacilitiesinouranimalcentres.WildanimalpetsREFERENCES1.PetFoodManufacturersAssociationannualsmallanimalpopulationsurvey.UKpopulationestimateforturtlestortoiseslizardsandsnakesrosefrom4000002008to7000002012.2.DataextractedfromtheRSPCAnationalcallcentredatabasein2011.3.RSPCAexoticspledgeToreducethenumberofexoticskeptaspetsandincreasetheirhumanecare.