After a 1,300 year absence, lynx to be reintroduced into the wild in Britain

Under an ambitious 'rewilding' plan drawn up by a conservative charity, lynx will once again be seen in the wild after a 1,300 year absence.

17:53 09 March 2015

A conservative charity is poised to release up to 18 lynx onto private estates in Aberdeenshire, Cumbria and Norfolk if their plans are approved by the Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage.

The move is part of Lynx UK Trust's “rewilding” plan that may see the introduction of the predatory cat into the wild in Britain after a 1,300 year absence.

Dr Paul O’Donoghue, who advises the trust, told The Sunday Times: “The lynx is one of the most enigmatic, beautiful cats on the planet. The British countryside is dying, and lynx will bring it back to life.”

Meanwhile, Tony Marmont, who owns Grumack Forest, said: “Lynx will have an extremely beneficial effect on our forest ecosystems, both directly and as ambassadors for wider conservation projects.

“I also believe we should try to reintroduce an animal that humans made extinct here.”

Ecologists agree that the presence of top predators in the wild is healthy for the whole ecosystem. In the UK, the problems with the growing number of deer are increasing due to the lack of predators.