by EWAN LAMB
The organisation fronting the latest highly controversial plan to reintroduce wild lynx to forested areas of Northumberland and "the bordering areas of Southern Scotland" will take its travelling exhibition to two Borders villages this month, giving local residents an opportunity to have their say.
Previous initiatives aimed at bringing back the mammal which was driven to extinction in England and Wales in medieval times have been greeted with opposition and alarm by many farmers, and by Rachael Hamilton (Con) who represents the Ettrick Roxburgh and Berwickshire constituency in the Scottish Parliament.
Now, research commissioned by The Lifescape Project, a charitable limited liability company (LLP) has concluded the heavily wooded terrain on the England-Scotland boundary, including commercial forests, offers the only English location for lynx to thrive.
The Wildlife Trusts, 'a grassroots movement' with over 900,000 members in 46 individual trusts, are delivery partners for the so-called Missing Lynx initiative.
According to The Missing Lynx website: "One of the first steps was to test whether lynx could survive anywhere in England and Wales. To do this, The Lifescape Project used a similar approach to that used in Germany, where lynx have already been successfully brought back. They worked with European experts to test ‘ecological feasibility’ - in other words, they tested whether there would be more than a 95% chance of lynx surviving and growing to healthy populations in Britain."
They used advanced computer modelling techniques and the most recent and detailed data on lynx ecology and Britain's landscapes.
"Essentially, they created a simplified virtual Britain for simulated lynx to live and move about in. Knowledge from over 50 years of monitoring European lynx populations helped make the lynx behaviour as realistic as possible. This model allowed them to test different lynx reintroduction scenarios, studying the projected outcome with different locations, timings and other important factors."
The research found that if lynx were to be released in Northumberland, they could grow into a healthy population covering north-west Northumberland, the edge of Cumbria and the bordering areas of southern Scotland.
"Only in this area do we have the extensive forest habitats that lynx need. A reintroduction would not be possible in other areas of England and Wales."
The Missing Lynx exhibition will visit Newcastleton from June 12th-15th, and then Bonchester Bridge from June 16th-19th.
The organisers claim: "The exhibition aims to inspire local people to find out about the lynx that used to live in Britain – they disappeared in medieval times when their woodland habitat was largely chopped down. Books and poems mention lynx in the countryside up until the 18th century, perhaps living alongside famous Scottish landmarks such as Hermitage Castle.".
Dr Deborah Brady, The Lifescape Project’s Lead Ecologist said: “Nature is in crisis and one in six species is now at risk of extinction in this country. Lynx are one of the native species that were once part of the rich mix of wildlife found in our countryside and one of many species that have vanished due to human impact. Animals and habitats are part of an interconnected web of life and huge efforts are being made to restore wildlife and the places that they depend on wherever possible. Replacing missing parts of this jigsaw such as lynx can help rebuild our ecosystems.”
And Faye Whiley, Social Science Officer of The Missing Lynx Project commented: “Our exhibition is going to give local communities a wonderful chance to find out all about lynx and to express their views. We hope people will enjoy it and be inspired by the immersive experience – it’ll be a lovely opportunity to discover more about wildlife, past, present and future. We’re looking forward to chatting to visitors – head to our website to get your free ticket!”
Concerns that the proposed reintroduction of lynx could result in the loss of large numbers of lambs and other animals on Borders farms were raised by Mrs Hamilton as far back as 2017.
In a letter to Michael Gove, the then Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Mrs Hamilton stated: "I write with some urgency regarding the potential reintroduction of lynx in the Kielder Forest on the edge of my constituency of Ettrick, Roxburgh & Berwickshire. Many constituents, especially farmers, have made representations to me about fears for their livelihoods if lynx were to attack their livestock and either cause significant or fatal damage to them.
"This would cause significant problems for the viability of their businesses, not to mention create more work for the farmers themselves. The cost to the public purse of supporting a long-term livestock compensation scheme, and the ecological benefits of reintroducing lynx, have yet to be fully examined. We also have to think about existing native species that are struggling to survive in Scotland, and across the UK, such as the Scottish Wildcat and the Red Squirrel. Diverting funds out of budgets to help protect these species will inevitably take place to fund the protection of lynx. Although I am sure you are looking after the interests of all stakeholders, I implore you to take special notice of the concerns of farmers and stop any reintroduction of lynx. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on such a vital issue to many farmers in the Borders."
A subsequent application in 2018 from the Lynx UK Trust for a licence to release six lynx into the Kielder Forest was turned down following Mr Gove's intervention.
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