Lynx in the UK?

[Christel]

Lynx in the UK

The BDS calls for wider objective discussions and a clear exit strategy.

Lynx in the UK - A proposed re-introduction

There are 6 species of wild deer living in the UK, 2 are native and 4 are introduced. The British Deer Society challenges the preconception that ‘deer are out of control across the country’.

Whilst it may be the case that localised overpopulations of some deer species are impacting adversely upon their habitat, it is most unlikely that the cause of the problem is our native roe. Fallow deer represent the biggest current challenge to deer managers across the country. Lynx do not prey on fallow deer.

BDS believe that it is important that any debate on Lynx should be species and habitat specific. Lynx will clearly not address growing populations of fallow deer in England and Wales nor areas of local overpopulation of red deer in Scotland. BDS also believes that there should be greater scrutiny of the unintended consequences of any release on for example sheep, brown and mountain hares and even the Scottish wild cat.

Lynx are efficient killers of roe deer – the species which presents the least threat to woodland and is one of our 2 native species. The BDS questions whether reducing our native population of roe will simply be at the expense of, in most cases, fallow and muntjac. Our premise is that the reintroduction of Lynx will not ‘solve’ a ‘deer problem’, merely change the nature of it in favour of a species which is challenging for us to manage and upon which Lynx will not predate.

The BDS calls for wider objective discussions and a clear exit strategy.

A lot of questions, a lot of scenarios. The lynx has it's own website. www.lynxuk.org

[Maggot]

I would hope that the Lynx would have a much better ideer (see what I did there....I deer ) regarding selection of its dinner than the average human.

I am not into hunting any more, but I would also hope that the Lynx is not expected to replace the thousands of skilled, law abiding stalkers out there. They do a vital service in keeping the population not only under control but healthy, and in a humane manner.

My intial worry was that a pet dog out walking might be a target, but Lynx are so secretive that by all accounts they would be very unlikely to come anywhere near humans let alone dogs with them.

I get that soem livestock may be taken, I cannot answer that one, I just guess that the areas woudl be specially selected to de-conflict where possible, although you would also have to control the Lynx numbers as I can only assume if successfull they may out grow their area of operations and move to areas where they may become a problem.

The antis must understand that it is their species that wiped out the vast majority of the Apha preditors, so having played god, we need to try and reverse it a bit.

gets my vote, a much better idea than beavers, ring necked parakeets and bloody mink!!

Ideally the European Eagle Owl will spread and sort out the feral cat population and we can have Timberwolves and Grisly bears roaming cartain estates in Southampton...bargan

[M99]

It will end up like the WTSE release - they have ended up killing all the other large raptors including goldies, but the do gooders keep that quiet as it doesn't suit their agenda.

The lynx will not just feed on Roe - especially when there will be easier pickings on livestock - they have a huge range in Europe so will have no issue covering huge tracts of ground in search of an easy meal.

[Dellboy]

So like the fox some people will try and feed them so in 10 hears time we will have Lynx feeding from red and white boxes discarded from the takeaways ....
or am i a little cynical

[DW58]

We've been through this many times already. When I was a member of the BDS national board, we went through the Wolf reintroduction debate several times, then it was Bears, now it's the Lynx. While the Lynx is an efficient predator of Roe deer, the habitat now isn't at all like it was back umpteen centuries ago when the Lynx was present in the British Isles, and in those areas deemed suitable for the Lynx to live now, the effect on the Roe population will be just a drop in the ocean compared to the national cull level.

Like all similar situations, the Tree/Bunny-hugging brigade never see the wider picture and only see their imaginary World where pretty bunnykins and squirrel nutkin live hapily ever after with pretty lynxy-poos killing roe deer out of sight and out of mind. They need to see reality, or better still see the gory bits.

It ain't going to work - this isn't Norway/Sweden/Finland, it's the UK with lots of people. Release a few Lynx in wild areas, and all will be dandy - but what will that prove, maybe 0.01% of the annual Roe cull will be carried out by Lynx, cars will still kill more deer than Lynx does.

[Outsider]

Perhaps they should be using these Lynxes to control the deer population?

[DW58]

Now there's a sensible post (not).

[bradaz11]

how likely would lynx be to attack ppl? there seems to be lots of hooror stories of foxes killing babies etc, real or not...

why were they hunted to extinction in the first place? getting rid of dangerous animals, trophy hunting or did they taste really nice?

[Scotsgun]

Let the daft buggers release them. Any lynx is not going to bothe racing after fleet footed, naturally wary deer when they can amble over and slaughter any sheep at their leisure.
I give it 7-10yrs max and my phone will be ringing non-stop with farmers demanding I cull them. The memsab would love a lynx rug for the sofa.
The idiotic govt will no doubt offer the farmers compensation until they realise that every sheep killed miraculously turned into a prize winning ram.
The sad fact that these numpty conservationists continually miss is there's no such thing as true wilderness in the UK.

[River]

Great idea, I fully support the introduction