Badger cull within weeks
The controversial badger shooting is impending, unless a last-minute legal challenge is successful. Otherwise, they must begin within the next few weeks.
The six-week badger cull must begin as soon as possible, so it is over before the badger breeding season starts. If there is a risk that badgers with young are killed, culling is not permitted.
Farmers in West Gloucestershire and West Somerset should soon be issued licenses by Natural England, allowing them to shoot badgers at night in their area.
The last minute legal challenge has been made by the Badger Trust to the Court of Appeal, following their unsuccessful bid to block badger culling in England to the High Court in July.
The Badger Trust, are one of a number of opposers to DEFRA's policy, set up to help combat Bovine TB, a disease which costs both the farming industry and government millions each year.
Opposers believe that the culls are illegal and local people in both Gloucester and Somerset are unhappy that it involves firearms in the open countryside.
A DEFRA spokesperson said: "People's safety is vital. Only highly trained individuals will be licensed to cull badgers, and every licence application will have to meet strong safety requirements."
They added that nobody wants to kill badgers, but it is a necessity in order to help eradicate the disease.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
