10 replies to this topic

[joe00uk]

Should the lynx be reintroduced to Britain?

As each successive 'sighting' of a big cat in the British countryside disappears into a media-stoked mirage, it is time to ask whether we should release real 10-30 kg cats onto our land once more.

 

And which other species do you think should be reintroduced elsewhere and why?

[Zaphod]

In the Scottish highlands definitely, although they will rarely be sighted. Wolves could be an option in Scotland too.

[Jakob]

On the fence. It doesn't seem like they'll be directly dangerous, but who knows. It's been a thousand years since the lynx has disappeared and the ecosystem has undoubtedly changed since then. I'd in general advocate caution when introducing species to new places. For instance, kudzu was brought to the southeastern US as an ornamental plant and caused chaos and destruction.

[joe00uk]

Animals with high reproduction rates (like rodents) and for fast-growing plants I would suggest extreme caution and maximum security on re/introduction into a new territory.

[Zaphod]

Like joe00uk said, introducing apex predators is very different to introducing invasive rodents and plant species.

 

The Lynx, Eurasian Wolf and Brown Bear were hunted to extinction in the UK, if we are to be true conservationists we should be trying to restore ecosystems towards how they were before and this includes introducing top predators. We have deer overpopulation throughout much of the UK and have to perform frequent cullings. It is far more ecologically stable, not to mention natural to introduce natural predators. The introduction of these predators would also benefit the local economy through ecotourism.

 

The issue is controversial because many people have an irrational fear of wolves and Bears, despite cases of attack on humans being exceedingly rare. The effect on livestock would be an issue, but not significant and farmers could be reimbursed. The Lynx would be the best to start with as they are less controversial, but are unable to take down Red Deer.

[PrimordialBeing]

I think that they should definitely be reintroduced to all of the British Isles, along with the wolf and brown bear.

As others have already said, having these animals makes more sense than having routine cullings.

I think an animal that should be reintroduced to some parts of the Isles, is the Golden Eagle. I don't know about England and Scotland, along with Wales, but this has already begun in the rockier regions of Ireland (Kerry, Donegal, Mayo), with birds brought in from Norway and Iceland. So far it has gone fairly well, except for some being poisoned by farmers, and I dont see why you couldn't do the same thing. They'd fit in perfectly in the highlands, and the Celtic rainforests all along the West Coast, as they do here.

[Italian Ufo]

What do you mean by re-introduce them ? I saw one in my garden in the Greater London during a Snow day back in 2011.

[Jakob]

What do you mean by re-introduce them ? I saw one in my garden in the Greater London during a Snow day back in 2011.

Erm, that's impossible unless it escaped from a zoo or something.

[Italian Ufo]

I don't know but We really saw it. 

[Jakob]

I don't know but We really saw it. 

Maybe this is a stupid question, but couldn't a very large cat be confused for a small lynx?

[Italian Ufo]

 

I don't know but We really saw it. 

Maybe this is a stupid question, but couldn't a very large cat be confused for a small lynx?

 

 

No no, it is not a stupid question, it is a good hypothesis. however if it was cat, it was too large and certainly it didn't look like a regular cat even in the way it was moving. It was 5 people on the window in West Drayton, London.  it was about 20 meters away, and We saw it for less than a minute.  We all agreed it was unusual and we concluded it was a lynx