The lynx effect
> I enjoyed Jon Snowdon's well-researched article, “The lynx effect” in October’s issue, which talked about the possible reintroduction of the lynx. To his conclusions I would like to add a couple of secondary effects.
Firstly, there is the impact on other wildlife that is endangered or close to being so. This could include the Scottish wildcat and ground nesting birds, such as the blackcock and capercaille. Of course Kielder forest is some way from the Scottish Highlands but any reintroduction must address these long-term issues. Kielder may be just a trial but even at this stage a wider risk analysis must be made.
Secondly, the lynx may enjoy the same charismatic image as the tiger or snow leopard. No doubt the Lynx Trust UK is counting on this. However, the record of conservation show that such elegant species tend to crowd out less glamorous animals for funding. The Trust will claim that it is funding the trial but what happens if the decision is made to expand the project? It appears that one key factor for the reintroduction of the brown bear in Northern Spain was the no quibbling and relatively generous compensation for sheep and cattle killed by bears funded by the government. Who will fund this and deal with the recently published list of 37 foreign invasive animal species that should be banned and culled or for the protection of endangered
British species?
Until these issues are addressed and resolved, any reintroduction program must take a back seat. Conrad Norris, Reading, Berks Ed – You are exactly right,
Conrad, we must think very carefully before reintroducing a predator such as the lynx, which has been absent from the UK for 1,000 years. Releasing them back into the wild after such a long absence would have a profound effect on the environment. Using them to control the deer population seems farcical because, as Jon pointed out, lynx don’t just eat deer. Also, lynx could suffer if the right environment wasn’t created for them. Perhaps the best way to reintroduce apex predators is into a managed environment.