Could the rare wildcat roam our peninsula once again?

THE official processes involved in reintroducing species to the UK are both painstaking and time-consuming. And time is something we can ill afford to waste, given the rapid decline of biodiversity in this country.

However, while placing species back into areas of the countryside they formerly inhabited certainly rights past wrongs, and helps to restore depleted natural landscapes, the pros and cons of reintroductions are understandably complex.

For a start, the reasons why a species became locally extinct may still be present. Persecution, such as of carnivores and raptors, perhaps poses less of a threat than it once did. However, habitats that once supported greater natural abundance have been lost or degraded. And reinstating animals may have unintended knock-on effects.

Understanding the reasons behind a species’ original demise is vital in order to pave the way for successful reintroductions.

It worked with the large blue butterfly, which became extinct in Britain in the 20th century. Scientific detective work unravelled the insect’s complicated lifecycle, reliant on ants that in turn rely on carefully grazed grassland. Once the pieces in the jigsaw were identified and put in place it was able to thrive once again.

In the Westcountry, one of the most successful conservation projects of recent years has been the turnaround in fortunes of a small finch-like bird called the cirl bunting in south Devon, some of which have been translocated to suitable areas of Cornwall.

And further afield the red kite, once confined to small areas of Wales, is soaring over central England once again following reintroduction schemes – while the whitetailed eagle is also being brought back to former strongholds.

The poster animal for the rewilding movement has been the beaver, with a released population of this ‘ecosystem engineer’ on Devon’s River Otter paving the way for further reintroductions elsewhere.

Not all returning species will prove popular with all, and some may pose challenges for farmers and land managers, for which they should be compensated. Talk of bringing back wolves and lynxes, striking fear into some, may also be counterproductive when trying to win public support for the wider philosphy of reintroductions.

Today we report on proposals to return the wildcat to the South West, following on from a similar move to bring back the pine marten to Westcountry areas where it formerly roamed.

Now confined to remote areas of Scotland, the reintroduction of the large tabby-like wildcat, hunted to extinction in England, would seem to be a fairly straightforward idea, given its appetite for small rodents. However, one of the threats in Scotland has been the fact that they interbreed with domestic and feral cats, diluting the genetic purity of this wild native species.

The impact of reintroduced carnivores, even smaller predators, on local wildlife – including bird species on the brink – must also be weighed up. The natural checks and balances of past ecosystems may not function as effectively in today’s biodiversity-diminished landscapes.

A South West Wildcat Project feasibility study is currently underway. This newspaper would encourage people to find out more at www. devonwildlifetrust.org/south-westwildcat-project and share their views with the consultation survey.