Sunday People

BROCK STARS

- By Karen Rockett

CAMPAIGNER­S are gearing up to celebrate Badger Day – just as the controvers­ial cull ramps up a gear.

One of Britain’s oldest native species, badgers divide opinion. While some think they are cute and cuddly, others view them as vermin, spreading TB in cattle and ruining livelihood­s.

They stir up emotions – but a third of people admit they have never seen one in the wild.

The badger cull in England has just been expanded into ten new areas, with up to 42,000 animals due to be shot to try to curb bovine TB, up from 32,500 last year.

The Badger Trust slammed it as the “largest destructio­n of a protected species in living memory”.

And with the animal under constant threat, campaigner­s are keen to show their good side.

Badger Day, which takes place on Saturday, aims to bust myths and raise awareness of these elusive creatures.

They are nocturnal and feed on worms, eating hundreds each evening. And you can see them tuck in on a OUR vet Brian MY dog is Faulkner, from Petplan, a terrier. has 22 years of experience I heard and is a freelancer working all they have a over the country. Send your higher risk of questions to Brian at: Petplan, certain illnesses Great West House, Great and health West Road, Brentford, issues. What are Middlesex, TW8 9DX or via they and what Petplan’s Facebook page can I do to facebook.com/ prevent them? Petplanuk. If you have a story about wildlife email us at pets@people.co.uk

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