As part of the UK’s ecological heritage, the Eurasian lynx has earned its place as our rewilding species of the month.  Although lost to us around 1,300 years ago, through habitat destruction and hunting, these tufty eared beauties managed to cling on elsewhere in Europe (though things were touch and go for a while). In countries across the continent from Scandinavia to Switzerland there have been projects to return the missing lynx. Existing populations have been expanded and their presence restored to areas where they were once wiped out.

Lynx have been a hot topic for some time in Scotland. There has been some brilliant campaigning and community work here based around the possible reintroduction of these keystone species to areas which would give them the space and woodland habitat they need. They have also been gaining press attention in England following a recent report which concluded that lynx could thrive in Northumberland. However, despite overwhelming public support, the notion of a big cat comeback in the UK has courted some controversy. It’s important for those who care about nature and community to understand the fears that some people have about reintroduction. Equally, we need to know the reasons why the lynx deserves a home in our woodlands.

The lynx effect.

Woodlands are more than just a bunch of trees. They are dynamic systems, an interplay between all the native flora, fauna and funga at their different stages of life. Unfortunately, many of our woodlands are now effectively dying as the next generation of trees fail to take hold. One of the reasons for this is the explosion in deer populations. This is due to the absence of any apex predators to keep the deer in check.

As specialist hunters of roe deer, lynx would have once played a key role in maintaining the balance in the UK’s woodland ecosystems. This would not just be in terms of keeping deer populations under control but also altering deer behaviour by creating a ‘landscape of fear’. Unlike human hunters, lynx are around 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and across a wider range. This means the deer cannot just adapt to avoid certain areas during daylight hours in the hunting season. The scent of lynx within an area more sustainably alters the deer’s movement patterns than the activity of humans. Deer are less inclined to forage in the same place for extended periods when they fear there may be a predator about. This reduces the intensity of their grazing so that not all the tasty saplings are destroyed.

Lynx, unlike human hunters, will also leave carcasses in situ. These caracasses support a whole load of other species and enrich the soil in which saplings grow. Reintroduction of the lynx would therefore lead to a more abundant, varied and sustainable ecosystem. They would help to maintain the health of our forests and woodlands at a time when we need trees more than ever.

Who’s afraid of the long-eared lynx?

For those making the case for the benefits of reintroducing these apex predators, it helps that the lynx doesn’t have the same fairy tale bad rep as the “big bad wolf”. There’s probably a reason for this linked to the lynx’s scaredy cat character. If Little Red Riding Hood had strayed from the path into lynx territory, there would not have been the same trouble at grandmother’s house. The lynx certainly wouldn’t make any moves to ask Little Red where she was going. Instead, he would be hiding away, watching and waiting for her to pick those flowers and be on her way.

Nevertheless, rumours of the reintroduction of big cat predators will have some people running scared. It’s therefore useful to know that a lynx’s size is more akin to a Labrador than a lion. And, in answer to the age-old question: ‘Who would win in a fight?’ the truth is that the lynx would be doing all it could to avoid fighting you in the first place. They are shy and, in the wild, will try to avoid all contact with humans. Weirdly enough, you’re statistically more likely to be killed by a sheep than a lynx. (There have been very rare cases of fatalities caused by aggressive rams. There has been no recorded evidence of anyone being killed by a lynx).

A Eurasian lynx would also not be inclined to go after a dog. When a lynx feels attacked and needs to protect itself or its young, it will fight back. However, conscientious supervision of your dog in an area where lynx are living should be enough to keep your pup safe from any trouble.

Are sheep farmers right to be worried?

At a time when sheep farmers are struggling with rising costs in livestock operations, changes in subsidies and the effects of climate change, it’s understandable that they should have concerns about anything else that might affect their livelihoods. Notions of releasing a top predator in a region where they keep sheep will obviously have them worried. Though sheep are not at risk when kept well away from the woodlands where lynx ambush their prey, and though lynx would always opt for the taste of venison over mutton, it would be dishonest to say there are no predations on sheep by lynx. Farmers are therefore going to need to hear more than ‘they’re good for the woods’. (No matter how valid an argument that may be).

However much a farmer might care about nature, they need to put food on the table and provide for their families. It’s therefore only right to involve them in conversation about lynx reintroduction. It’s also through honest conversation that misinformation can be addressed. Engaging with farmers enables an understanding of the specific concerns of individual farmers and crofters. This allows rewilders to seek a way forward for co-existence rather than conflict. The lynx rewilding projects that have been happening in Europe since 1970 can illustrate different models for this. They also demonstrate how lynx populations interact with differing farming practices. For anyone interested in delving deeper into what the return of lynx might mean for UK farmers and how it may be managed, this excellent webinar from Scotland: The Big Picture is well worth a view.

Schemes have also been run where farmers can visit areas in Europe where lynx and sheep co-exist. One such an example took place as part of a consultation run by The Missing Lynx Project. The visit led one farmer to conclude “I saw in Europe that it’s possible to live alongside lynx. The risks to livestock can be minimal and there are so many positives. Tourism is an obvious one, but I also think a more balanced ecosystem is beneficial to farmers.” 

A lynx to our past and for our future.

For some, though, the case for lynx reintroduction is more of a moral argument than anything else. Humans have taken these animals out of our landscape through persecution and deforestation. We don’t seem to be doing a very good job of managing nature without them. This is a climate and biodiversity crisis that we have brought upon ourselves. 

We could point to the economic benefits of lynx reintroduction through ecotourism and marketing within a struggling rural economy; we might explore the effects of lynx interactions with foxes, badgers, and deer to help restore balance to our landscapes and protect ground nesting birds; we may perhaps highlight their place as a keystone species in the regeneration of our dying forests. Ultimately though, lynx are part of our abundant past. We need to find a place for them in our landscapes to ensure a biodiverse and regenerative future.