When policymakers come together and create conservation laws that are well-thought-out, it’s amazing what it can do in the real world. Just take a look at Britain where badgers, otters, and other furry carnivores are staging a spectacular comeback after the government clamped down on hunting and pollution. The reasons for each carnivore’s recovery are different, but all tied to the government in one way or another. Otters were harmed by organochlorine pesticides washed into the river but have returned to every English county since the pesticides were banned and hunting was outlawed in 1978. Polecat numbers have risen to 83,000 in the decades since a 1958 ban on gin traps, which were once used to control rabbits. Badger populations, on the other hand, have doubled since the 1980s thanks to legal protection granted to them in 1973. It all goes to show that contacting your representatives and pushing for better conservation laws can make a huge difference for animals.
Why badgers and otters are staging a comeback in Britain
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