The missing lynx are on the way back
LYNX could be reintroduced to the Scottish countryside after more than a thousand years, it emerged yesterday.
Experts want to release the wild cats, which prey mainly on deer, into woodland in Aberdeenshire as part of an ambitious ‘rewilding’ scheme.
Although they would be introduced on privately owned estates, the woodland would be unfenced, meaning the animals, which can weight up to 70lb, could roam freely around the countryside.
Scientists claim that reintroducing the Eurasian lynx would benefit the country’s ecosystem, by helping control the million-strong UK deer population, as well as boosting the tourist economy.
But the move is likely to be opposed by farmers worried about the lynx savaging livestock and game birds.
Under the plan, devised by the Lynx Trust, four to six cats would be released at sites in Aberdeenshire, Norfolk and Cumbria.
Around the size of a large dog and with powerful claws for climbing, they will be released into areas rich in deer and trees. Each will wear a tracking device so their movements can be monitored.
The trust said it would be launching a public consultation this week, before applying to government via Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Natural England for formal permission.
Lynx Trust science adviser Paul O’Donoghue said: ‘The lynx is a magical animal that last roamed Great Britain 1,300 years ago.
‘It is one of the most beautiful cats on the planet and its absence makes Britain a poorer place.’
But a spokesman for the National Farmers’ Union said: ‘We would be concerned about the reintroduction due to its high cost and failure risk. We believe budgets are better f ocused on developing existing biodiversity.’
Ron Macdonald, policy director of SNH, which would have to license any reintroduction north of the Border, said it also had concerns.
He added: ‘There are pluses and minuses to reintroducing any species. Lynx could help reduce deer numbers in Scottish woodlands but some land-use organisations have concerns about the impact of a reintroduction on livestock.’
‘Its absence makes Britain poorer’