The idea
The protection of badgers under the Wildlife and Countryside act should be removed so they can be controlled, as we control many other vermin, in a humane way.
Why is it important?
I feel that badgers being designated as a protected species means that their needs take precedence over all others. As an example, at my children's primary school a family of badgers has taken residence under a temporary hut. We cannot remove the hut because of the badgers, and we can only move the badgers to another area on the school site. Badgers are extremely territorial and will just return to their sett. They have caused many thousands of pounds worth of damage, including undermining two classrooms and digging up the playing field, making it dangerous for the children to use. I have heard of schools that cannot use their playing fields due to badger damage. We have also spent funds on trying to stop them returning, but they are difficult, if not impossible to stop. I would suggest that we have our priorities wrong when the needs of a wild animal, that is not an endangered species, takes precedence over the education and healthy living of our children. We have taken advice from licensed advisers, but there seems no way of removing the badgers from the school's grounds.