We sign our name against the badger cull with celebrities in the Guardian 31st August 2012

A number of high profile celebrities, including Dame Judi Dench, Joanna Lumley, Jilly Cooper, Bill Oddie and Brian May, have written to the Defra Secretary calling on the Government to postpone the two pilot badger culls. Our Co Founder is included in the list of names against the badger cull.

The culls are due to commence in West Gloucestershire and West Somerset in the ‘early autumn’.

But in an open letter, 16 people – a mix of celebrities, wildlife experts and animal welfare campaigners – say the culls should be delayed until the Council of Europe’s Bern Convention on wildlife and natural habitats has considered a formal complaint submitted by Humane Society International/UK (HSI UK).

Signatories to the open letter:

Mark Jones, Executive Director, Humane Society International UK

Chris Packham, naturalist & broadcaster

Ian Redmond OBE, biologist & conservationist

Bill Oddie OBE, naturalist & broadcaster

Mark Carwardine, zoologist & broadcaster

Nick Baker, naturalist & broadcaster

Mike Dilger, ecologist & broadcaster

Dame Judi Dench

Joanna Lumley OBE

Dale Vince OBE, CEO Ecotricity

Brian May CBE, musician and founder of Save Me