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<p>In West Somerset, the cull company achieved removal of 70% of the estimated starting
population of badgers, indicating that industry-led culling can, in the right circumstances,
deliver the level of effectiveness required to be confident of achieving disease control
benefits.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The results for Gloucestershire show that
continued progress is needed taking into account the additional challenges of interference,
harassment and criminal damage by activists.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Cull companies
were required to provide more detailed information on progress, and based on the information
submitted, Natural England were able to build a more accurate assessment of progress.
This is described in advice published in August 2014:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advice-to-natural-england-on-setting-minimum-and-maximum-numbers-to-be-culled-in-year-2"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advice-to-natural-england-on-setting-minimum-and-maximum-numbers-to-be-culled-in-year-2</a></p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As licensing authority, Natural England closely monitored the
performance of each cull company and the effort being deployed across the cull area
at frequent intervals, taking into account the actual circumstances being experienced
by the cull companies.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Details of the number of badgers
removed during year two of the culls were published on 18 December 2014, and can be
found at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bovine-tb-summary-of-badger-control-monitoring-during-2014"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bovine-tb-summary-of-badger-control-monitoring-during-2014</a>.</p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Defra’s advice to Natural England on setting minimum and maximum
number of badgers to be culled in West Somerset and West Gloucestershire in year 2
of the badger culls can be found at the link above. This advice includes a summary
of the methods considered by Defra for estimating the badger populations in these
areas. The minimum number is intended to correspond to a 70% reduction of the population
relative to the initial starting population before the culls started in 2013. The
culling objective is for no more than 30% of the starting population to remain on
conclusion of the cull.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Based on the population estimation
methodology selected, in Gloucestershire, Natural England set a minimum number of
615. At the conclusion of the 2014 cull 274 badgers were removed.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p>Based on the population estimation methodology selected, in Somerset Natural
England set a minimum number of 316. At the conclusion of the 2014 cull, 341 badgers
were removed.</p><p> </p>
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