A year-long Lynx to Scotland consultation will assess public and stakeholder attitudes around the idea of lynx reintroduction (Pic: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) NEW EFFORTS to promote the reintroduction of lynx into the Scottish Highlands have been dismissed by both farmers and ScotGov. A new year-long study, ‘Lynx to Scotland,’ is underway by a partnership of charities including Scotland: The Big Picture, Trees for Life and Vincent Wildlife Trust, to assess people’s views about the possible reintroduction of Eurasian lynx as a means to control deer populations. Advocates for their return believe the species deer predation would help regenerate natural woodlands. However, livestock farmers have warned of the devastation this could potentially pose to their flocks.
BBC News
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image captionHunting and habitat loss wiped out lynx in Britain between 500 and 1,000 years ago
Hundreds of years after the last lynx died out in Britain, people in Scotland are being asked about whether the cats should be reintroduced.
Eurasian lynx are the third largest predator in continental Europe after the brown bear and wolf. Their main prey are roe deer - a small deer that favours woodland.
Lynx were once native to Britain but were driven to extinction 500 to 1,000 years ago due to hunting and habitat loss.
Three charities - Scotland: The Big Picture, Trees for Life and Vincent Wildlife Trust - have come together to look into the potential of releasing lynx into the wild in Scotland.
Eurasian lynx are native to Britain, but were driven to extinction 500 years ago
They now live in mainland Europe, and are thought to pose no threat to humans
A new study aims to understand if people would be willing to live with the cats
Experts hope that if lynx are reintroduced in Scotland, they would prey on roe deer, providing a free and efficient deer management service
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