Farmers’ perspectives need to be considered when reintroducing lynx and wolves: QUB
The concerns of the farming community should be considered before any attempt to reintroduce apex predators to the UK and Ireland, a Queen’s University researcher has said.
With discussions around the benefits of having wolves and lynx roaming the mountains and forests continue, QUB researcher and conservations Dr Jonny Hanson has warned that the reintroduction of large carnivores – centuries after they disappeared in the wild – could “pose significant challenges and costs”, particularly for livestock farmers.
An application for a trial reintroduction of lynx in England was declined in 2018, but interest remains with discussions ongoing in England and Scotland, according to Dr Hanson.
He also said that successful reintroductions of non-carnivore species, like beavers and sea eagles, suggest the idea is growing in popularity and ambition.
Whilst it is acknowledged that there are potential social, economic, and environmental benefits, the reintroduction of large carnivores would not be universally welcomed.
Dr Hanson recently published his findings entitled ‘Large carnivore reintroductions to Britain and Ireland: farmers’ perspectives and management options,’ as a Nuffield Farming report, sponsored by the Thomas Henry Foundation.
The report found that farmers expressed concern about the current post-Brexit political and economic uncertainty, priorities and funding for agri-environmental schemes, management tools for coexistence with large carnivores (deterrence, finance, force, enterprise), and also governance elements such as appropriate guidelines and consultations.
Dr Hanson said: “The strategic context for potential large carnivore reintroductions to Britain and Ireland is currently extremely challenging. For this and other reasons, the return of apex predators to our landscapes are likely to be complex, contested and costly affairs.”
The report also found that farmers in Britain and Ireland are generally opposed to the idea, that there are “wide gaps in the knowledge base relating to this topic, such as the costs of training and equipping farmers to adapt their farming practices to deter lynx or wolves”.
Dr Hanson added: “Much greater levels of research and consultation, especially with livestock farmers, are necessary to weigh up the delicate balance of pros and cons in this debate. Only then can the questions of could and should we reintroduce these species be properly answered.”
The full report is available here