Farming
Conservation groups don’t like ‘unpalatable truth’
THE FARMERS’ Union of Wales has warned that conservation bodies have their heads in the sand over the devastating impact badgers have had on hedgehog numbers, and are doing conservation a great disservice by scapegoating farmers.
The State of British Hedgehogs 2018 report released on February 7 by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species estimates that hedgehog numbers have halved since the beginning of the century, and places the lion’s share of the blame on intensive farming.
However, world leading hedgehog expert Dr Pat Morris, author of The New Hedgehog Book, wrote in his 2006 book “The implications [of high badger population densities] for hedgehog survival are serious…ignoring the issue or pretending that badgers exist only by harmless drinking of rainwater doesn’t help at all.”
A survey of badger numbers between November 2011 and March 2013 found that badger numbers in England and Wales have increased by between 70% and 105% in the past 25 years.
“Dr Morris is named in the State of British Hedgehogs 2018 report as the instigator of the first survey of hedgehogs based on animals killed on roads, but no mention is made of his concerns regarding high badger numbers having such a devastating impact on hedgehogs.
The issue is dismissed and swept under the carpet, despite overwhelming scientific evidence of the impact of badger predation, while farmers are effectively singled out as being to blame,” said FUW President Glyn Roberts.
A 2014 peer reviewed study of hedgehog numbers in ten 100km2 areas where badgers were culled in England found that “…counts of hedgehogs more than doubled over a 5-year period from the start of badger culling, whereas hedgehog counts did not change where there was no badger culling.”
Mr Roberts said: “Of course there are areas where intensive farming has had a detrimental impact on hedgehog numbers, but it is simply wrong to paint the whole of the UK as being like that – the fall in hedgehog numbers has in fact coincided with farmers planting more hedges.”
Mr Roberts added that this view was backed up by the RSPB, who said that losses of managed hedges appear to have halted in the mid-1990s, while the net length of hedges in the UK was stable or increasing.
The British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species report said it was planning to engage with the farming community to ‘stem the alarming decline of our country hedgehogs’.
The likelihood is that there is a range of events causing impacts on the hedgehog population. Certain types of pesticides affect the hedgehog’s food chain, while larger and more open fields with less substantial hedgerows might also contribute to hedgehog predation and decline. The increased use of road vehicles is a certain factor, as is urban and suburban spread. Unusually, domestic pets are not a major hazard for hedgehog populations.
In rural Wales, however, the dramatic explosion in badger populations cannot be ignored as a significant factor in driving the decline of hedgehog numbers.
In the early-2000s, an investigation was carried out by the Small Mammal Specialist Group into patterns in hedgehog and badger populations across hundreds of square kilometres of rural southwest England and the midlands. One important finding was that hedgehogs appeared to be absent from large swathes of pastoral grasslands where they are thought to have once been commonplace. The group surveyed hedgehogs in a number of areas which were geographically and ecologically similar, but with different levels of badger culling.
Hedgehog numbers in suburban areas doubled during the five years of badger culling, and remained static in areas without culling. This demonstrated for the first time that badger predation is a strong limiting factor for hedgehog populations in these particular habitats.
Until the mid to late 20th century, heavy persecution of badgers kept them at low numbers. The Badgers Act of 1973 introduced protections, enhanced by the 1992 Protection of Badgers Act. Consequently surveys published in January 2014 revealed that in the 25 years since the first survey in 1985-88, the number of badger social groups in England has doubled to around 71,600.
In pasture-dominated and mixed agricultural landscapes, and in some suburban habitats, badgers thrive with have plentiful denning opportunities and abundant food resources. The largest increases in the density of badger social groups have occurred in the landscapes that dominate southern, western and eastern England. These are also the areas where hedgehog declines are likely to be most severe.
While nobody is suggesting that badgers be culled to improve biodiversity and give hedgehogs a chance of re-establishing themselves, the refusal to acknowledge evidence which they find inconvenient suggests that the weight that can be given to the Hedgehog Survey is questionable.
Glyn Roberts suggested that those ignoring the evidence were simply unprepared to face the truth about natural predation: “By sweeping under the carpet the unpalatable truth that badgers eat hedgehogs, and that the doubling in badger numbers has had a catastrophic impact on hedgehog numbers, and scapegoating farmers by highlighting outdated ideas about hedge removal, conservation bodies are doing a huge disservice to hedgehogs and conservation.
“In fact, they are doing exactly what Dr Pat Morris warned of in his Hedgehog Book – burying their heads in the sand by pretending increased badger numbers are not a major threat to hedgehog survival.”
DAIRY FARMERS TIM AND MARGARET JOHNS HONOURED BY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
HAVERFORDWEST dairy farmers Tim and Margaret Johns have been unanimously elected as the first joint Presidents of the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society.
The couple, who farm at Pencnwc in partnership with their son Graham, represent the third generation of their family to work the land. Their 550-acre holding in Castlemorris includes dairy cattle and the cultivation of both winter and spring cereals.
Margaret and Tim have a long-standing association with the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society and the County Show. Margaret, in particular, has achieved considerable success in equestrian showing at events including Royal Windsor, the Great Yorkshire Show, and the Royal Cornwall Show. She also founded and continues to run Castlemorris Equestrian and Pet Supplies from the farm.
Speaking following their appointment, Tim said: “Margaret and I work as a partnership. The County Show is a major part of Pembrokeshire and is an integral part of farming in the county. We are looking forward to the year ahead. We have chosen RABI and the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society as our charities to support over the next 12 months.”
During the Society’s Annual General Meeting, held recently at the Pembrokeshire Showground, Mr and Mrs James Evans were voted in as Presidents Elect.
Other appointments for 2025 include Miss Alys Owens, who was named as the Society’s Ambassador. Alys, who lives in Haverfordwest and works for Castell Howell, is an active member of Llysyfran YFC. She served as Club Secretary last year, a role for which she was named Club Secretary of the Year at County level. A talented musician, Alys plays the cornet with Goodwick Brass Band.
Outgoing President Adam Thorne used the occasion to thank all those who had supported him during his term in office.
Alys Owens, the 2025 Ambassador, is pictured between Margaret and Tim Johns, the 2025/26 Joint Presidents.
A FAILURE by dog owners across the UK to recognise the danger their pets pose to livestock is continuing to result in devastating attacks on sheep, the National Sheep Association (NSA) has warned.
The warning comes as the NSA launches its annual Sheep Worrying by Dogs Awareness Week and shares the findings of its latest survey, which reveals that 87% of respondents experienced at least one dog attack on their flock in the past year.
The most common cause identified is dog owners refusing to keep their pets on a lead while walking in the countryside.
NSA Project Manager Nicola Noble said: “Dog owners often assume their beloved pet could not be capable of causing harm to other animals, yet it is an instinctive response of a dog to chase, and for some, attack prey animals such as sheep. Barking, chasing, and physical attacks can all have devastating effects on sheep, especially at this time of year when so many are heavily pregnant or have young lambs at foot.”
Survey results released this week (Apr 14) show the situation is worsening, despite years of awareness-raising by farming and countryside organisations. On average, each farming respondent reported four sheep deaths due to dog attacks over the past year—an increase on previous years. These figures do not include unborn lambs lost when pregnant ewes miscarry from the trauma of being chased or attacked.
The consequences of sheep worrying are not only physical. They include long-term suffering for the animals and significant financial losses for farmers—through vet bills and a reduced number of healthy animals to sell.
Mrs Noble added: “Sheep worrying by dogs not only causes suffering to livestock but is also a real cause of stress and worry to farmers. Many farmers told us their mental health has been impacted by the continued threat to their animals. Alarmingly, 80% of those surveyed reported a negative experience when asking dog owners to put their pet on a lead, with nearly half receiving verbal abuse and, in some cases, even physical aggression.”
The issue of straying dogs is also highlighted in the survey. Some 43% of respondents discovered evidence of sheep worrying without witnessing the attack itself—suggesting dogs had either escaped from gardens or that owners were unwilling to admit their pet had attacked livestock.
More than half of the reported incidents occurred in private fields with no public rights of way, again suggesting either straying dogs or a blatant disregard for private farmland.
This makes identifying the dogs involved—and seeking compensation—especially difficult. Almost half of the farmers surveyed said they didn’t even attempt to claim compensation, citing a lack of faith in the system and feelings of helplessness when reporting incidents to the police.
NSA Communications Manager Katie James said: “It’s a common misconception that nothing will be done if sheep worrying is reported to the police, but if no reports are made, the scale of this issue will never be fully understood. This hampers our efforts to push for stronger legislation and proper enforcement.”
To help build a clearer picture of the scale of the problem, the NSA has launched a new online reporting tool for farmers. Mrs James added: “Although it is not a legal obligation to report attacks, we are urging all sheep farmers to use our new service alongside making reports to the police. The online log form is simple and quick to complete.”
The reporting tool and further advice are available at www.sheepworrying.org.uk.
The Sheep Worrying by Dogs Awareness Week runs from today (Monday, April 14) until Sunday, April 20. Throughout the week, the NSA will share real-life case studies and highlight new technologies being developed to help secure more prosecutions of those responsible for allowing attacks on sheep.
Follow the NSA on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for updates.
CARDIGAN will be the place to be on Saturday, June 15, as entries continue to flood in for this year’s Welsh National Tractor Road Run (WNTRR).
The popular event is being organised by the North Pembrokeshire Tractor Enthusiasts – a group of like-minded friends led by Dai Rees of Cilgerran.
The Run will begin at Awenfryn, Glanrhyd – the farm of Keith and Kevin Evans – and take in stunning views across Cardigan Bay before heading inland towards Cwm Gwaun and the Preseli Mountains. The route will then return to Awenfryn.
This year’s event will raise money for three charities: the Wales Air Ambulance, Crymych First Responders, and Cardigan First Responders.
Entry is £20 until the closing date of Monday, May 20. Early entries will be listed in the official programme and guaranteed a commemorative souvenir. Entries will also be accepted on the day for £25, but late entrants will not be guaranteed a souvenir – a decision made by organisers to reduce disruption caused by last-minute arrivals.
Entry forms can be obtained from members of the local organising team – Dai Rees, Alun Owens, Keith Evans, Kevin Evans, Sion Morgan, and Peter Lewis – at various tractor events. Alternatively, forms can be requested by email from the WNTRR secretary at anne.trials@btinternet.com, or downloaded from the WNTRR Facebook page.
Online entry is also available:
Anyone interested in sponsoring the event or advertising in the souvenir programme should contact the WNTRR secretary or Sion Morgan via sion@pantygarn.co.uk.
Spectators are welcome at the starting point and along the route. More details will be released closer to the date.
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