Poll: Should the Lynx be reintroduced to Britain?

Should the Lynx be reintroduced to Britain?

  • Yes

    Votes: 177 79.4%

  • No

    Votes: 46 20.6%
  • Total voters
    223

robfosters

robfosters

robfosters

Caporegime
Joined
1 Dec 2010
Posts
53,766
Location
Welling, London
Saw a BBC report this morning about the European Lynx being reintroduced to help cull the deer population. The report is here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32450051

What do you think of this? I'm torn. Part of me thinks it will be cool to have an official big cat back in Britain, And the deer do need culling for the sake of our countryside, but the other side is worried about attacks on livestock, pets and worse of all, children.

Would you be happy if they were in a woods near you?
 
I like the idea but as you say, it also brings concern. Not only for pets / livestock or humans, but for them too. I wouldn't be at all surprised if someone does go out and try kill one, even if they are protected.

I don't know much about these though, where do they currently live and is where they live somewhere remote? and what is the % of attacks from these?
 
Yes. We need more wildlife back in the UK. The areas suggested for release are far from human population centres and they are not a threat to humans anyway. Unfortunately the farmer lobby are dead against any wildlife that doesn't benefit them (see the illegal killing of birds of prey and the government sanctioned killing of a protected species - Badgers) which is why it's been such a long struggle to even get this far.
 
Spacedeck said:
I like the idea but as you say, it also brings concern. Not only for pets / livestock or humans, but for them too. I wouldn't be at all surprised if someone does go out and try kill one, even if they are protected.

I don't know much about these though, where do they currently live and is where they live somewhere remote? and what is the % of attacks from these?
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There has never been an attack on a human from one. They just run when humans approach.

They have been reintroduced into Germany. They were hunted to extinction in Britain over 1000 years ago.
 
Amp34 said:
Yes. We need more wildlife back in the UK. The areas suggested for release are far from human population centres and they are not a threat to humans anyway. Unfortunately the farmer lobby are dead against any wildlife that doesn't benefit them (see the illegal killing of birds of prey and the government sanctioned killing of a protected species - Badgers) which is why it's been such a long struggle to even get this far.
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There is no such thing as 'far' when the need for housing keeps growing.
 
Amp34 said:
Yes. We need more wildlife back in the UK. The areas suggested for release are far from human population centres and they are not a threat to humans anyway. Unfortunately the farmer lobby are dead against any wildlife that doesn't benefit them (see the illegal killing of birds of prey and the government sanctioned killing of a protected species - Badgers) which is why it's been such a long struggle to even get this far.
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Agree about farmers. Some of their beliefs and practices towards our native wildlife is abhorrent. Lynx are native, its just that as usual, humans were to blame for wiping them out.
 
I grew up in country (Slovakia) where bears, wolfs and lynx live freely in the woods. Ok not that many lynx but never really heard of them being major threat to people or livestock. Bears are becoming a problem as there’s lot more of them and their territory is getting smaller. Both due to their numbers and cities getting bigger.

Obviously it is sad when a bear attacks someone (only a very small minority are fatal) but it’s quite nice when you get a glimpse of any of these predators when you’re out in mountains. They are probably as scared of you as you are of them. I haven’t seen wild lynx yet though. :(

So to answer your question yes I would welcome more wildlife in general in this country.
 
Sure I've seen some documentaries on iPlayer where Beavers were re-introduced as some Scientific Trial and Elk or Moose? Someone wanted Wolves too... I want to see Elephants, Hippos and Rhinos, that would be awesome! Oh wait! Forgot Crocodiles and Alligators!! :eek:

Seriously though, we'd have to see what effect Lynx would have on our womenfolk.
 
They should introduce all types of animals to the UK, i think its a bit later for the whole "not wanting to disturb nature". I understand not wanting to introduce an animals that might wipe out other species or cause problems but there are many animals that they could introduce that probably wouldn't lead to many problems.

So yes introduce the lynx.
 
It isn't like they're going to only attack deer and not sheep or other livestock for example.

If the deer population need controlling then there are plenty of people willing to pay a lot of money to help do so for sport and those people will end up shooting carefully selected deer whereas a Lynx isn't going to carefully discriminate and will happily attack quite young deer as well as old.

I'm not seeing the deer conservation argument. If people want it reintroduced simply because it used to be a native species and they think it would be nice to have back then that is another matter - but trying to claim there is a need for it to be reintroduced under the auspices of deer control is a bit dubious IMHO.
 
doofer said:
Sure I've seen some documentaries on iPlayer where Beavers were re-introduced as some Scientific Trial and Elk or Moose? Someone wanted Wolves too... I want to see Elephants, Hippos and Rhinos, that would be awesome! Oh wait! Forgot Crocodiles and Alligators!! :eek:
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Wolves have been successfully re-introduced in Oregon, USA. I see no reason why the Lynx shouldn't be re-introduced to the UK -I only wish it was in my area.
 
Judgeneo said:
Can't we just eat the deer to keep the population under control? I'm all for lower price venison in shops.
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This. It's probably more humane to the deer also.

Introducing new species of animals is likely to upset the ecosystem in it's environment.

There's the cost of doing it and keeping it under control as well.

They'll probably get hunted and maybe killed by farmers as pests.

Pose a threat to pets.
 
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