They've been on a waiting list after a world wide shortage of the vaccine.
The Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust and Paignton Zoo are vaccinating wild badgers, after TB was found at the zoo last year.
Vets are busy testing numerous exotic mammal species that are susceptible to TB.
Paignton Zoo spokesperson Phil Knowling: “We want to protect the wild badgers as well as the Zoo’s exotic species. We had to put our name on a waiting list for vaccine - last year there was a worldwide shortage. We’ve acquired specialist equipment, done the training and obtained a license to trap and inject wild badgers.
“We hope to vaccinate as many animals as possible, both adults and juveniles. We will have to do this for a number of years to build up the immunity of the badger group.”
The Zoo’s plan also includes making changes to animal husbandry practices and badger-proofing some enclosures. Because TB means a ban on the movement of mammals in and out of the Zoo, staff are also working to prevent breeding in certain mammal species.
Badger vaccination work is highly regulated. Badgers are humanely trapped and injected by a trained and licensed member of staff. The secret ingredient is the bait that draws the animals in – peanuts.
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