Scotland should reintroduce wild Lynx
Reintroducing Lynx would be a crucial step in restoring Scotland’s world renowned nature and biodiversity, say the Scottish Greens.
The party spokesperson for rural affairs, Ariane Burgess MSP, has proposed an amendment to the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill that would see the iconic species being reintroduced.
Reintroducing lynx could boost biodiversity by reducing the impacts of deer browsing on woodland. Research from the Lynx to Scotland project suggests the Highlands has sufficient habitat to over time support around 400 wild lynx.
Ariane said:
“Scotland is one of the most nature-depleted countries on earth. We desperately need to turn things around, and reintroducing the Lynx can help us do that.
“It is not simply about wanting these iconic wildcats back in our forests. It’s the work they do for us in changing patterns of movement of their prey, allowing us to plant more trees in areas where deer are currently browsing.
“Over the last few years there have been very positive and constructive national conversations with stakeholders, including farmers, to highlight the many ecological benefits that lynx can bring and address concerns.
“Lynx are very shy, and likely to disappear into the forest before they would approach humans in the wild. Their behaviour is very different to other carnivorous animals.
“Our climate and nature efforts are interlinked, and we can make Scotland nature-rich once again by taking these steps to bring iconic native species like Lynx back into our great outdoors.”