Lynx's roaming the UK

I have been dreaming of Lynx's being reintroduced back into the UK for around 4 years since I first heard about the project and the fact that it maybe come a reality in the not to distant future is really exciting.

The Lynx Trust UK wants to find out what the public's view on the matter is, before taking the idea to Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage to ask permission to release between 4-6 collared individuals as a trial to into the wild. The released animals will then be fitted with GPS collars and closely studied to see how their activities effect the local environment.


One of the main reasons for wanting to reintroduce Lynx's back in the UK (yes, they did used to roam this land before humans killed them all), is to help control the deer population that are destroying forests. Deer's, especially Red Deer, are currently having to be culled in order to keep control over them but, if Lynx's were to be introduced successfully they would help manage the deer population naturally.

The Lynx's would also bring in people like myself who would love to work with and study them as
well as possible tourism at the opportunity of seeing them along with this it would also help keep Britain's ecosystems more natural.

There are obviously some cons and risks as well, such as the fact that Lynx's may choose to sometimes feed on the smaller Roe Deer rather than the Red Deer. There is also the possibility that they could kill livestock if they are introduced to closely to human civilisation and they could hunt Grouse including some rare species where there is only 1,300 individuals left but these are unlikely if they have enough of their preferred prey which is Deer.

Image from http://imgkid.com/baby-eurasian-lynx.shtml

The reintroduction of Lynx's though, I feel, could really help balance out the natural ecosystem, adding a predator into an ecosystem that needs one. The Lynx trust recently posted this video to give an idea of what it could be like if Lynx's were reintroduced. Now in the video it is Wolves not Lynx's and its in Yellowstone not the UK but the idea of controlling the ecosystem and the changes that occur is likely to be very similar and well worth a watch!

I for one really hope that the public can see what an amazing opportunity it is to have the species back in the UK and that maybe, just maybe, there will be a medium sized cat wondering the UK once again in the not to distant future.

To join in with the survey and share your views click here and to find out more click about the project click here or here

What is your view on the reintroduction of Lynx's? Do you think they will be able to help the ecosystems?

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