Brian May accused of hypocrisy over deer culling on his estate
Queen guitarist and animal rights campaigner Brian May has been branded a hypocrite after it emerged he allowed deer to be culled on his estate.
Mr May employed a gamekeeper who killed 23 “mainly young, healthy animals” on his 136-acre plot of land in Dorset.
The rock star, who led a high-profile campaign against government plans to cull badgers to combat bovine TB, said he inherited the tradition when he bought the land, but stopped it last year.
Mr May, who runs the anti-blood sports charity Save Me, said on his Facebook page: “I inherited culling of deer on the land I bought in Dorset a few years ago, and was initially advised that I ought to keep it up, because having a gamekeeper discouraged poachers.
“I had my doubts, but I was new to forest management, and realised I had much to learn.
“I decided to let it continue for a short period, observe for a while, and then take what action I felt was right. A couple of years ago, having studied the effects, I decided to stop the culling.”
Gloucestershire dairy farmer Jan Rowe, director of GlosCon, the company set up to carry out the culling, told the Sunday Times that Mr May was “utterly hypocritical”.
“On the one hand he is understanding the need to manage species that are overpopulated, but not applying the same principle to badgers, that in my part of the country are significantly overpopulated – one of the reasons why they are carrying TB at such high levels,” he said.
But Mr May, who is vice-president of the RSPCA, received backing from the animal charity.
The RSPCA said: “There is a strong scientific evidence that deer culling is humane and effective in certain circumstances. The recently postponed cull of badgers does not accord with these circumstances.”
And BBC TV wildlife presenter Bill Oddie leant his support on his Twitter account. “Brian May hypocritical? NO. Deer culls and badger cull utterly different matters. Cheap shot.”
Mr May joined the Badger Trust and other wildlife charities in campaigning against government plans for a badger cull earlier this year.
The badger call was postponed in October after much higher badger numbers than anticipated were discovered in the two pilot culls areas – west Somerset and west Gloucestershire.
As a result, farming groups are being given more time to plan how they will be able to kill increased numbers of badgers to ensure they remove 70% of badgers – the minimum target for badger cull removal in each area.
DEFRA secretary Owen Paterson has insisted the badger cull will start next summer, saying he is “totally committed” to the policy.
More than 26,000 cattle were slaughtered in England alone last year because of bovine TB, according to DEFRA, which has warned that leaving the disease unchecked could cost taxpayers £1bn during the next 10 years.
Farmers Weekly quizzes Brian May on bovine TB