Wild lynx could return to UK forests after 1,300 years

THE lynx could return to Britain’s forests again for the first time in 1,300 years under plans to ‘rewild’ the countryside.

The Eurasian lynx, the third-largest predator native to Europe after the brown bear and grey wolf, is extinct in the UK but there are plans to release the cats within the Kielder Forest, part of the Northumberland National Park.

The Lynx UK trust said it selected the Kielder Forest over sites in Aberdeenshire, Cumbria, the Kintyre Peninsula and the Thetford Forest in Norfolk. Up to ten wild lynx could be released.

Kielder is largely away from sheep farming areas and could support up to 50 lynx over its 250 square miles. The wild cats, which need to eat around 4.5lb of meat a day, are expected to have a ‘pivotal role’ in controlling the rapidly increasing deer population, the trust said. There are between 11,000 and 21,000 deer – roe, red, sika and fallow – in the area.

The lynx are expected to kill around 1,000 deer over five years, according to a report written for the trust by consultants AECOM.

The trust said reintroducing the lynx will generate many thousands of pounds in tourism revenue in a deprived area.

There are also few threats from roads and railways to the animal, which measures 27.5in at the shoulder and can weigh up to 64 lbs. Dr Paul O’Donoghue, chief scientific adviser for the trust, said: ‘Kielder has continually stood out as a a place where the lynx can flourish and bring huge benefits to the local community.’

Consultations on the plans are still be held, with the National Farmers Union opposed to the animal’s return due to a potential threat to lambs. Dr O’Donoghue said the selection of Kielder was ‘by no means a final decision or a foregone conclusion’.