Thursday, September 27, 2012

Save the Badger... ??

A stunning piece of artwork behind Dr. Brian May, backed by the RSPCA and fellow travellers, this picture is an amazing piece of PR. It may stir the hearts of his followers, but is it accurate?
Dr. May says he wants to 'Save' badgers. But obviously not from tuberculosis.





Cattle farmers  regularly see badgers in the later stages of tuberculosis, crawling around their fields and buildings in an emaciated and distressed state, coincidentally, often just before losing a shed load of cattle. But they don't look anything like the sleek, iconic beast behind Dr. May.

They look like this.


So in the interests of accuracy rather than spin, we invite Dr. May to pick up a badger with tuberculosis to advertise his aims . This one is rather messy, his tuberculous neck abscesses having burst... 



But it may look something like this. Now obviously this badger would not attract nearly so much attention ..... or funding. It may however attract sympathy for its plight and the manner of its death.

A victim of its protector's success.


No comments: