THE roll out of the controversial badger cull across the country remains uncertain after shooters failed to meet minimum targets in one of the cull zones.

The second year of the controversial badger culls in Gloucestershire and Somerset ended after six weeks at noon on Monday.

The culls were part of the Government’s plans to tackle bovine TB in England, which saw more than 26,000 TB-infected cattle slaughtered last year.

Marksmen had targets of killing a minimum of 316 badgers in Somerset and 615 in Gloucestershire.

The Humane Society International/UK said figures were revealed to Team Badger by a source at Natural England, and showed only 253 badgers were killed in Gloucestershire while in Somerset, shooters achieved the minimum target.

Defra is yet to confirm the total number of badgers killed but previously Environment Secretary Liz Truss has indicated that the outcome of this year’s culls would determine if they would then be rolled out nationwide.

A spokesperson for Defra said: “All aspects of the culls are being independently audited.

“The numbers of badgers removed during the culls will be analysed, quality assured and audited before release.”