An Englishman's Castle

Fur flies over chief's call to bring back missing lynx - Scotsman.com News

LYNX should once again prowl around the mountains of Scotland, according to Allan Bantick, who will become chairman of the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) later this year,

Mr Bantick is already heavily involved in the project to reintroduce the beaver, which was given the green light by the Scottish Government earlier this year.

"I'm quite convinced that the beaver will be a success story," he said. "I suspect there is also a case for the lynx. If the beaver trial is a success then maybe the lynx will be next."

He added: "I personally would certainly support the return of the lynx."

He thinks bringing them back would benefit Scotland's forests. "There are very large populations of roe deer in our forests. In other countries where lynx have been introduced the population of roe deer has been reduced and stabilised so the forest can cope with them," he said.

And he believes as humans killed off lynx in Scotland, it is up to us to try to reintroduce them. "The lynx were part of our historical world," he said. "It was eliminated by the hand of man so we should consider whether it can brought back."

He emphasised this was his personal opinion rather than the stance of SWT, and said any move to reintroduce the lynx would require years of research and planning.

Mr Bantick said he hopes there is scope for reintroducing other animals that once roamed Scotland but admits bears and wolves could pose difficulties.

"The beaver is definitely do-able. The lynx may well be. What happens next who knows?

"There may be serious political reservations about bringing back predators such as the bear or the wolf.

"Personally I don't think you would know they were there, but the very first hillwalker that died, it would be blamed on them."

I think I could forgive a rambler eating bear quite easily. What I find harder to stomach is this return to the stone age, the lights are going out as the power stations close, regional seasonal food only is being mandated, that's neaps only for five months in Scotland, and the benefits of progress are being scorned and outlawed in the name of greenery.