Court papers have been filed over Edwin Poots’ decision to green light a badger cull in Northern Ireland.
The Agriculture and Environment Minister approved the move in his final public act before the Northern Ireland Assembly dissolved for elections.
Over 10,000 people had signed a petition against the move which was also strongly opposed by a number of politicians.
Read more: Proposed badger cull protest held at Stormont
Wild Justice and Northern Ireland Badger Group say the cull could see 4,000 badgers shot dead in a year and “will not be effective in getting rid of bovine Tuberculosis (bTB)”.
Mike Rendle of NIBG said: “This indiscriminate badger cull will kill thousands of badgers using a method that has been branded by the UK government’s Independent Expert Panel as ineffective and inhumane.
“It is disingenuous to claim that shooting badgers will lead to a healthier wildlife population when the majority of those killed will not have TB.”
A Wild Justice spokesperson added: “We oppose a badger cull in Northern Ireland because we believe it will be ineffective, know that it will be inhumane and we are advised that it is based on an unlawful, bungled public consultation.
“DAERA should think again and we hope our legal challenge forces that to happen.”
The groups argue that Minister Poots’ consultation on the controversial cull “withheld vital information” in relation to the business case.
With support from the Born Free Foundation, they filed the application for judicial review at the Royal Courts of Justice yesterday (Wednesday 30 March).
The charities pointed to new research, co-authored by Born Free head of policy Dr Mark Jones, which found badger culling in England was ineffective against bovine TB.
Dr Jones said: “Instead of blindly following the ineffective and inhumane badger culling policy employed in England, the authorities in Northern Ireland should be following the progressive approach adopted in Wales which is succeeding in reducing the impacts of bovine TB without killing wildlife.”
Wild Justice and NIBG are represented by Carol Day and Ricardo Gama at Leigh Day, with Phoenix Law as agents in Northern Ireland.
They’ve asked for an early hearing, as the NI cull could begin as early as July this year.
Leigh Day environmental law specialist, solicitor Carol Day said: “Our clients understand DAERA will make an Order to enable the killing badgers as envisaged in the Consultation paper. That consultation was fundamentally flawed – which means that any Order made on the basis of it would also be unlawful.”
The case is being crowdfunded. You can support the fundraiser here.
A DAERA spokesperson said: “As this is an on-going legal matter we are not in a position to comment.”
Alliance MLA John Blair said: "'It provides some reassurance that DAERA is pursuing such checks and follow up as required.
"It is essential, especially in the context of the proposed controversial cull of badgers to prevent bTB, that the department acts proactively to protect cattle as well as wildlife more widely."
Read more: Badger group warns farmers of "growing anger" over bovine TB mass cull proposals
Read more: 'Badgers should be vaccinated for bovine TB not killed'
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