In the UK, the Eurasian lynx, which has died out between 500-700 A.D. most likely due to fur hunting, is being pushed for reintroduction in the wild.
The Lynx UK Trust, a team of conservationists dedicated in bringing back the lynx to the British Isles, is near in posting the result of the initial survey of public opinion on lynx reintroduction with more than 9,000 replies after the survey ended last March 22, 2015. This first stage of public consultation got an overwhelming 91 percent positive response from the local community and other stakeholders which were based on the proposed reintroduction sites.
The Lynx UK Trust recommended locations include the Kielder Forest in Northumberland, and other forests near Cumbria, Norfolk and Aberdeenshire. After the lynx was hunted into extinction, Britain's deer population swelled without its natural predators. Natural reduction of deer numbers, like the crop-eater muntjacs, would be great assistance to local farmers.
The Trust is also conducting face to face meetings with Welsh landowners to check if they have other concerns for consideration.
Local farmers have raised fears about the wild lynx attacking sheep, cattle or game birds. The Trust has assured them of generous and comprehensive compensation program. Based on extensive research from Europe, wild lynx preferred hunting on remote forests compared to open environment of human farms.
The Trust planned to release about four to six lynx in each site if the Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage will approve their wild lynx reintroduction proposal. Each Eurasian lynx will be monitored by GPS tracking collars for between three and five years. The authorization may take several months; however, the Trust believed it will be granted due to positive responses from the survey.
The wild Eurasian lynx, also known as common lynx, European lynx, Russian lynx and Siberian lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to Siberian and European forests and are also seen at forests in East and Central Asia.
Experts believe the lynx are absolutely harmless to humans, given its solitary and shy nature, and based on the results experienced in Europe after reintroduction projects there.
"These are beautiful cats which will fit beautifully into the UK environment. They're extremely shy animals which have never attacked a human anywhere they live, and everywhere they live their preferred prey is deer which we have a serious overpopulation issue with in the UK," Dr. Paul O'Donoghue, chief scientific specialist at the Lynx UK Trust, told BBC news.
Photo: Tom Bech | Flickr
