Sickening new figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) show that more and more badgers are being cruelly snared and killed across Ireland as part of its discredited Bovine TB Eradication scheme. The details, obtained by Badger Watch Ireland, show that not only is the carnage continuing but that the number of badgers being killed is increasing. A Department representative revealed that "the number of badgers culled under licence by DAFM for the year 2013 was 6,103". The number of badgers killed by the Department last year, 2014, was even higher at 6,366. The killing of this protected species is made possible with a licence from the National Parks and Wildlife Service's National Licensing Unit (which also licenses hare coursing). The decimation of badger populations continues despite research by the Department which shows that badgers actively avoid fields of cattle and buildings containing cattle. There is also a complete absence of any substantive evidence that the Department of Agriculture’s current badger culling programme has reduced bovine TB. The cull has been condemned as "slaughter masquerading as science". ACTION ALERT Get in touch with Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney to demand an end to his Department's cruel badger cull. Tell the Minister that he must take on board new research findings which have shown that badgers actively avoid cattle fields and yards of cattle. Minister Simon Coveney Minister for Agriculture Department of Agriculture Agriculture House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Email: minister@agriculture.gov.ie Tel: 01-607 2000 or LoCall 1890-200510. Fax: 01-661 1013. Please write to the Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs and to the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Remind them that the Wildlife Act, for which they are responsible, lists the badger as a protected species. Demand that they stop licensing the snaring and killing of thousands of badgers as part of a cruel and discredited TB eradication scheme. Minister Heather Humphreys Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs 23 Kildare Street Dublin 2 Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie Tel: (01) 631 3800 Director, Licensing Unit National Parks and Wildlife Service 7 Ely Place, Dublin 2 Email: wildlifelicence@ahg.gov.ie Tel: 01-888 3214