By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 07:08 EST, 10 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:11 EST, 10 October 2013 . Badgers could be gassed by the government after a planned cull failed to kill enough of the animals, Owen Paterson said today. The Environment Secretary yesterday blamed the badgers for 'moving the goalposts' after marksmen culled fewer than half the 2,000 animals targeted. Now he has admitted the government is 'looking at gassing', amid reports that some of the animals had already been gassed illegally. Target: Thousands of badgers are being culled in pilots which ministers say will help curb the spread of TB in cattle herds . Officials yesterday announced a new, lower estimate of the badger population, making it . easier to hit the 70 per cent target for culling. But a six week-cull in Somerset which ended on Sunday will have to be . restarted, with opponents accusing the government of ‘adjusting the . figures to make it look like this is a success’. Mr Paterson complained that the badgers . themselves were making the cull more difficult than expected. 'The . badgers moved the goalposts. We're dealing with a wild animal, subject . to the vagaries of the weather and disease and breeding patterns,' he . told BBC Spotlight. Trouble: Environment Secretary Owen Paterson blamed the badgers for the cull falling short . Today he defended the much-ridiculed remark, saying he was 'stating the screamingly obvious'. He went on to confirm that gassing is now being considered. Speaking in the Commons Mr Paterson . told MPs: 'Until we can establish vaccines, we have to use the tools . employed by other sensible countries which is to remove wildlife. We . made it quite clear in our TB strategy that we would look at other . methods of removing wildlife. 'And yes we are looking at gassing, but we will not use it unless it is proven to be safe, humane and effective.' But Labour condemned the idea. Shadow environment secretary Maria Eagle said: 'Gassing badgers has been proven to be inhumane and it is unacceptable for Owen Paterson to be considering it, just because his unscientific, costly and misguided cull is not working. 'Instead of blaming the badgers for the failure of his policy, it’s time for a coherent plan to eradicate TB through vaccination of both badgers and cattle, together with tougher rules on the movement of livestock.' Badgers are blamed for . spreading tuberculosis (TB) in cattle herds, and the coalition ordered . pilot culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire to curb the disease. The . aim was for marksmen to kill 70 per cent of badgers by free shooting, . which meant culling 2,081 of the 2,400 animals in Somerset. But officials now admit just 850 badgers were shot during the six-week trial. The Gloucestershire trial is due to end next week. In . an attempt to claim the plan is working, ministers now say the badger . population is only 1,450 – meaning 59 per cent of the animals have been . killed. Opposition: Campaigners from the Somerset Badger Patrol looking for marksmen in the village of Monksilver, Somerset . The trial culls could now be extended by up to three . weeks to give the marksmen more time to meet their targets. The . original 5,000 target was based on 2012 estimates of badger . populations. But newer research showed numbers had now . fallen by around a third, because of flooding, food scarcity and . disease. Badger expert Professor Rosie Woodroffe said the failure to kill enough animals meant the trials should now be stopped. She . said: ‘When you kill badgers two things happen. The first is there are . fewer badgers, and for disease control that should be a good thing. ‘But . also you change the behaviour of badgers in ways which increase the . transmission of disease in badgers, so each badger is more infectious to . cattle... They are more likely to travel, and they are mixing more with . badgers from other social groups.’ Meanwhile, Gavin Grant, RSPCA chief executive, said: ‘Frankly this whole situation is a farce. ‘Whatever the figures, it is clear that the system has failed.’ Despite . widespread opposition, the Government has been committed to the . controversial scheme, which it hopes will help limit the spread of . tuberculosis in cattle. Queen guitarist Brian May said figures . showing the number of badgers killed were ‘widely disparate’, and urged . ministers to abandon the ‘ridiculous’ cull.
Owen Paterson defends claim that badgers 'moved the goalposts'
Environment Secretary reveals government is considering gassing instead .
Marksmen told to kill 70% of badgers in two pilots to curb spread of TB .
But in Somerset only 850 of the 2,000 badgers targeted were culled .
By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 07:08 EST, 10 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:11 EST, 10 October 2013 . Badgers could be gassed by the government after a planned cull failed to kill enough of the animals, Owen Paterson said today. The Environment Secretary yesterday blamed the badgers for 'moving the goalposts' after marksmen culled fewer than half the 2,000 animals targeted. Now he has admitted the government is 'looking at gassing', amid reports that some of the animals had already been gassed illegally. Target: Thousands of badgers are being culled in pilots which ministers say will help curb the spread of TB in cattle herds . Officials yesterday announced a new, lower estimate of the badger population, making it . easier to hit the 70 per cent target for culling. But a six week-cull in Somerset which ended on Sunday will have to be . restarted, with opponents accusing the government of ‘adjusting the . figures to make it look like this is a success’. Mr Paterson complained that the badgers . themselves were making the cull more difficult than expected. 'The . badgers moved the goalposts. We're dealing with a wild animal, subject . to the vagaries of the weather and disease and breeding patterns,' he . told BBC Spotlight. Trouble: Environment Secretary Owen Paterson blamed the badgers for the cull falling short . Today he defended the much-ridiculed remark, saying he was 'stating the screamingly obvious'. He went on to confirm that gassing is now being considered. Speaking in the Commons Mr Paterson . told MPs: 'Until we can establish vaccines, we have to use the tools . employed by other sensible countries which is to remove wildlife. We . made it quite clear in our TB strategy that we would look at other . methods of removing wildlife. 'And yes we are looking at gassing, but we will not use it unless it is proven to be safe, humane and effective.' But Labour condemned the idea. Shadow environment secretary Maria Eagle said: 'Gassing badgers has been proven to be inhumane and it is unacceptable for Owen Paterson to be considering it, just because his unscientific, costly and misguided cull is not working. 'Instead of blaming the badgers for the failure of his policy, it’s time for a coherent plan to eradicate TB through vaccination of both badgers and cattle, together with tougher rules on the movement of livestock.' Badgers are blamed for . spreading tuberculosis (TB) in cattle herds, and the coalition ordered . pilot culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire to curb the disease. The . aim was for marksmen to kill 70 per cent of badgers by free shooting, . which meant culling 2,081 of the 2,400 animals in Somerset. But officials now admit just 850 badgers were shot during the six-week trial. The Gloucestershire trial is due to end next week. In . an attempt to claim the plan is working, ministers now say the badger . population is only 1,450 – meaning 59 per cent of the animals have been . killed. Opposition: Campaigners from the Somerset Badger Patrol looking for marksmen in the village of Monksilver, Somerset . The trial culls could now be extended by up to three . weeks to give the marksmen more time to meet their targets. The . original 5,000 target was based on 2012 estimates of badger . populations. But newer research showed numbers had now . fallen by around a third, because of flooding, food scarcity and . disease. Badger expert Professor Rosie Woodroffe said the failure to kill enough animals meant the trials should now be stopped. She . said: ‘When you kill badgers two things happen. The first is there are . fewer badgers, and for disease control that should be a good thing. ‘But . also you change the behaviour of badgers in ways which increase the . transmission of disease in badgers, so each badger is more infectious to . cattle... They are more likely to travel, and they are mixing more with . badgers from other social groups.’ Meanwhile, Gavin Grant, RSPCA chief executive, said: ‘Frankly this whole situation is a farce. ‘Whatever the figures, it is clear that the system has failed.’ Despite . widespread opposition, the Government has been committed to the . controversial scheme, which it hopes will help limit the spread of . tuberculosis in cattle. Queen guitarist Brian May said figures . showing the number of badgers killed were ‘widely disparate’, and urged . ministers to abandon the ‘ridiculous’ cull.
the 2,000 animals targeted. Now he has admitted the government is 'looking at gassing', amid will help curb the spread of TB in cattle herds . than expected. 'The . badgers moved the Spotlight. Trouble: Environment Secretary Owen for Owen Paterson to be considering it, just kill 70 per cent of badgers by free shooting, . Somerset. But officials now admit just 850