A wildlife trust is urging residents to sign a petition calling for an end to badger culling.

Cheshire Wildlife Trust is asking supporters to add their name to a petition that was launched on Thursday, calling for an end to the badger cull and to prevent further expansion.

More than 36,000 people have added their name to the petition created by the Wildlife Trust President Emeritus, Simon King OBE.

The petition was launched following an announcement by the Government on Thursday that seven new licences for badger culling have been granted in a bid to eradicate bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle - a disease which devastates thousands of farming businesses annually.

The new licenses cover parts of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Cornwall, Devon and Dorset.

However, it is argued scientific evidence demonstrates that culling could be ineffective in fighting the disease in cattle and some believe it risks making the problem even worse.

The Wildlife Trust is calling on the Government to take immediate action to reduce cattle-to-cattle transmission of bovine TB by tightening movement controls even further, accelerate research into cattle vaccination and to invest in more research into better techniques for early detection of bovine TB in cattle.

Cheshire is at the leading edge of the disease’s spread north.

An application for a badger culling licence was submitted for the first time earlier this year in Cheshire for, it is believed, Macclesfield.

Charlotte Harris, chief executive of Cheshire Wildlife Trust, said: “We are firmly opposed to the culling of badgers and while we are very relieved that Cheshire has not been included in this announcement, we would urge our supporters to sign this new petition.

“The culls to date have been found to be repeatedly flawed in their methodology, measures and objectives – they missed their targets, were expensive and their impact on the Bovine TB problem, if any, is uncertain.

“In line with all other Wildlife Trusts, we will not allow a badger cull to take place on our reserves.

“We believe that controlling the spread of this devastating disease in cattle requires implementation of a package of measures and we advocate alternatives to badger culling.

“We’re one of a number of local organisations, including Wirral and Cheshire Badger Group and Chester Zoo, that have carried out a badger vaccination programme in Cheshire.

“Further to this, a number of major Cheshire landowners are also pro vaccination, including Cholmondeley, Eaton, Peckforton and Bolesworth estates who we have helped to develop their own landscape scale vaccination projects through Defra’s Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme.

“We are sympathetic to those whose cattle are affected by this disease, but we urge the Government to consider the scientific evidence which indicates that the cull will not significantly reduce bTB in cattle.”

Simon King said: “Any extension of badger culling into new areas should be prevented.

“The scientific evidence demonstrates that culling is likely to be ineffective in fighting the disease and risks making the problem even worse.

“The impact of bovine TB is painful, disruptive and distressing to the lives and businesses of farmers – but culling is not the solution and gives farmers false hope.”

Sir David Attenborough, also a President Emeritus of The Wildlife Trust, said an expansion of the badger cull to new areas, against the recommendations of scientists and before the completion of a four year trial cull, is a “bad idea.”

A Westminster Hall debate on badger culling and bovine TB will take place on Wednesday, September 7.

To sign the petition, visit www.petition.parliament.uk/petitions/165672