Wild Lynx to be Reintroduced to UK?

There haven't been any lynx in the British countryside for more than 1,300 years, but that be about to change thanks to conservation charity The Lynx Trust. The Eurasian lynx - the species hoped to be introduced - can grow up to 129cm (51in) long and 70cm (28in) tall. The solitary cats, with long legs and tufty ears, are often only detected by their large footprints. The creatures also have beautiful fur, which is what their British cousins were hunted to extinction for between 500 and 700 AD. The Trust has released a survey as part of a public consultation period (that you can take here ), to find out how people feel about having lynx reintroduced into the wild. Should the consultation go well, The Trust is hoping to be granted initial approval from Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH)(responsible for licensing animal releases of this nature). This means between four and six lynx with GPS-tracking collars released onto three private estates, as part of a trial. The three pieces of land are unfenced and have some of the most abundant wildlife in the country. They're located in Norfolk, Cumbria, and Aberdeenshire. If this trial goes well, and Natural England and SNH grant further approval, then up to an additional twelve lynx could be released to join those from the first trial. This won't be the first time that lynx have been reintroduced to a country where they had been previously wiped out. Successful reintroduction programmes have taken place in countries across Europe, including France, Germany and Switzerland, and have seen the cats breeding and living well. Now, the global lynx population is thought to be in the region of 50,000, making it of "Least Concern" on the IUCN Conservation Status. Lynx are not considered a risk to people. They tend to keep themselves to themselves, away from people, and surviving on rabbits, hares, and deer, amongst other animals. And contrary to what a lot of people believe, ecologists are finding more and more evidence of the importance of having predators in the ecosystem. For example, wolves were reintroduced to the US' Yellowstone National Park, and the make-up of the flowers there changed and flourished. However, fears have been raised by farmers who are worried that the lynx will attack their sheep or other livestock, although this is a rare occurrence in Romania and Poland where the cats live naturally. "As a very dedicated forest animal, lynx will rarely come across agriculture animals," pointed out Dr Paul O'Donaghue, who advises The Trust on scientific matters. On The Trust's website, they add that with a controlled and monitored introduction process, whole new eco-friendly industries could be constructed, such as wildlife tourism. "With no natural threats and bringing in a range of benefits to humans, the time is perfect to bring back to the lynx to the British Isles," they explained. "The lynx is one of the most enigmatic, beautiful cats on the planet," concluded Dr O'Donaghue. "The British countryside is dying and the lynx will bring it back to life."