THE EFFECT ON RANGING BEHAVIOUR AFTER SELECTIVE REMOVAL OFBOVINE TUBERCULOSIS TEST POSITIVE BADGERS (MELES MELES) USING ATEST AND VACCINATE OR REMOVE INTERVENTION IN NORTHERN IRELAND

摘要

Pro-active culling of European badgers (Meles meles) can potentially lead to social perturbation with a subsequent effect on levels of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle. A five-year wildlife research intervention project commenced in 2014 in a 100 km2 area in Northern Ireland, based on selective removal of bTB test positive badgers and vaccination of bTB test negative badgers (Test and Vaccinate or Release; TVR). Monitoring the effects of TVR intervention on badger ranging behaviour was one of thestudy aims. This behaviour was analysed based on 149 home range estimates from 105 individual badgers over 21,200 Global Positioning System (GPS) collar-nights. The TVR intervention led to an estimated 2.0-10.2% of badgers being removed annually (compared to the majority of badgers in non-selective cull trials). Multi-variable linear mixed model analyses indicated no statistically significant difference in badger ranging behaviour after TVR intervention.