The Social Network: Badger Style

Exeter University PHD student Nichola Weber has equipped more than 50 badgers with ‘proximity collars’ to track their social contacts and the spread of TB.

Professor Robbie McDonald from the University of Exeter’s Environment and Sustainability Institute said results showed that:  “Infected animals were likely to be less important for spread within groups while at the same time being more important for spread between groups.”

“Go on, give us a kiss”

Such results could prove that culling badgers with TB is largely ineffective and vaccination may be a better alternative.

Weber said: “Culling badgers perturbs social structures and we think our findings may help understanding of so-called ‘perturbation,’ where culling has been linked to increases in TB in badgers.”

The University is working with businesses across Cornwall to translate the research into innovative and cost effective practices.