Night vision technology to be used in badger management

These days, there are many night vision products available for both amateurs and professionals to make use of. For example, by heading online, individuals can find superb quality gun sights that feature this technology.

Meanwhile, a recent FarmersWeekly article noted that night vision products may be used in a project intended to manage the populations of badgers in Gloucestershire and Somerset. This autumn, trained experts could start using rifle-mounted scopes and thermal imaging cameras in two pilot culls.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) policy team has held demonstrations of the technology with representatives of the two areas and with officials from Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Natural England and an independent scientific panel.

Night vision technology is so important in this project because badgers are noctu
al. Meanwhile, those behind the scheme suggest it will be effective.

An NFU spokesman said: "Night vision technology will play an essential part in ensuring a safe, effective and humane cull of badgers, and is already being used extensively by professional pest controllers and wildlife managers."

He added: "We expect their use to be approved and that the fully-qualified professionals using night vision scopes will have completed a detailed training course designed specifically for people undertaking licensed badger control, which is needed desperately to reduce levels of TB in the environment and in our cattle herds."
Meanwhile, a representative from DEFRA noted that the organisation will be publishing its guidance conce
ing the culling soon and people will have to wait to see what is in it. He added that no date or time is scheduled.

The uses of technology like this are broad. As well as wildlife management and observation, it can be utilised for recreation and it is also popular in the military. Developments in the field mean the devices are becoming ever more sophisticated.