Volta
Badger Ecology, Bovine Tuberculosis, and Population Management: Lessons from the Island of Ireland
The European badger, Meles meles, is an important wildlife host for Mycobacterium bovis and contributes to the epidemiology of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle in several countries. The control of zoonotic diseases, such as bTB, is a central component of global One‐Health strategies. Such strategies are complicated by human–wildlife conflicts, particularly where wildlife reservoirs are legally protected. The contrasting objectives of disease management and wildlife conservation, therefore, can require significant investment in research to support evidence‐based policies. In Britain and Ireland, for example, badgers are a legally protected species but are also subject to lethal control and vaccination for disease management. In this paper, we review recent (2012–2022) advances in research on this wildlife host on the island of Ireland, …