Should Bears, Wolves & Lynxes Be Reintroduced Back Into Great Britain?

[Backtrack]

On my way to Scotland and searching the web some interesting information came about. Apparently there is a long term plan in discussion (and has been for some time) to reintroduce bears, wolves & lynxes back into Scotland. Obviously the UK is no stranger to these species as they lived here for thousands of years prior to the 18th century.

Pretty interesting argument I feel. Here's a link to the Telegrapgh but it's all over the BBC too. It's not a new article but I would certainly be all for it! We're too soft here in the UK, our wildlife is rather boring.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/7330504/Bears-lynx-wolves-and-elk-considered-for-reintroduction-into-British-countryside.html

[Jax]

Disagree that our wildlife is boring, it is far from it, but yes we are missing some important key species that we used to have.

 

I want all wildlife, here and abroad kept safe and re-introduction of once native species that have only been eradicated by humans should be brought back.

 

 

It is high time the human population realised we share the planet not own it.

[Methuselah]

It would certainly make eating Al Fresco more common...Poor old Al! 

[Cheshire Freeze]

The term is 'rewilding' and studied this a lot in 'Landscape conservation and management' at uni. Within the UK, Paul Lister is a big name associated with this rewilding drive; transforming a place called Alladale in Scotland into a giant wilderness reserve. As you'd imagine, there's pros and cons to rewilding- there has been a lot of opposition to the project in Alladale, for example. One such criticism is that because the reserve had to be fenced off (so the animals were effectively in a giant pen), the reserve became nothing but a giant zoo. Have a read up about it

[gottolovethisweather]

I personally believe such an idea would be bad news for our gradually diminishing ecosystems. Yes, it sounds on paper to be an awesome scene from days of yonder, where Wolves, Lynxes roam across our landscape, alongside more familiar species. The problem I fear and a lot of scientific study has been produced on such matters is the prey and predator relationship. There are already many stressed relationships where predators are bringing down the numbers of our once common Bird species, for example. Other issues such as habitat fragmentation would mean that once these beasts are established widely, they would come into areas where mankind doesn't wish to see them. When we dream up these weird and wonderful introductions (thinking retrospectively here as well) do we ever consult the countryside managers, land owners and farmers, farmworkers and ask for their thoughts? For example, Beavers were originally seen as a harmless introduction and probably still are, however, they too are now venturing far and wide into English rivers, well away from their original homes. Nice Beavers.

[mushymanrob]

times have changed though, im not sure that rewilding will have any benefits to the ecosystem as a whole. those predators need food, is there enough? are there natural food supply becoming a pest? im just not so sure our tiny island can support enough space to house these creatures and the requirements they need.

[AderynCoch]

Not sure I'd fancy chancing upon a bear when walking through the countryside.

Edited August 31, 2013 by AderynCoch

[misha]

I personally believe such an idea would be bad news for our gradually diminishing ecosystems. Yes, it sounds on paper to be an awesome scene from days of yonder, where Wolves, Lynxes roam across our landscape, alongside more familiar species. The problem I fear and a lot of scientific study has been produced on such matters is the prey and predator relationship. There are already many stressed relationships where predators are bringing down the numbers of our once common Bird species, for example. Other issues such as habitat fragmentation would mean that once these beasts are established widely, they would come into areas where mankind doesn't wish to see them. When we dream up these weird and wonderful introductions (thinking retrospectively here as well) do we ever consult the countryside managers, land owners and farmers, farmworkers and ask for their thoughts? For example, Beavers were originally seen as a harmless introduction and probably still are, however, they too are now venturing far and wide into English rivers, well away from their original homes. Nice Beavers.

http://www.scottishbeavers.org.uk/beaver-facts/beaver-trial-faqs/will-the-beavers-cause-damage-to-farmland-and-the-wider-countryside/

[Mountain Snow]

I'm all for re-wilding the countryside but I'm not sure what the exact consequences would be. Something needs to be done about the huge population of red deer in Scotland, is introducing wolves the answer, I'm not sure, sheep would certainly be easier pray. The wolf is a keystone species which has knock-on effects throughout the eco-system. Good article here about the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone and how that benefited the park in general.   http://fes.forestry.oregonstate.edu/sites/fes.forestry.oregonstate.edu/files/PDFs/Beschta/Ripple_Beschta2012BioCon.pdf

[Jax]

Not sure I'd fancy chancing upon a bear when walking through the countryside.

They are a feline cat compared to my ex wife, and she did not have a sore head.

 

 

*how the chuffing chuff does the forum deem p-ussy no good and replace it with "feline"?*

Edited September 1, 2013 by Jax

[Sprites]

The livestock farmers would love it, and it is bound to add excitement camping holidays.

[Gray-Wolf]

I'd love to see my brethren back in our countryside but it will never happen by plan. The only way would be release by independents and the hope that they could establish in their area before the became noticed. Only by being there and not causing issues would the argument for re-introduction be strong enough to possibly succeed? 

 

As it is we appear bound for a thermal max that could well see us positioned for many of the southern European species to become comfy here? is rapid climate shift reason enough to introduce critters that are failing in areas they once lived? We have already shifted our Dormice up to the lakes due to climate shift so why not open the doors to other species as the need arises? Some may make it under their own steam ( birds/insects) .but others might need a helping hand?

 

Of course the last major thermal max had hippo's and lions in Trafalgar sq and crocs as far north as Ellesmere island so plenty of scope for some interesting introductions as climate shifts over the coming century.............................

[Methuselah]

The livestock farmers would love it, and it is bound to add excitement camping holidays.

Where would this lunacy stop, though?

 

[Backtrack]

Not sure I'd fancy chancing upon a bear when walking through the countryside.

 

Scotland has so many absolute remote places though, what would be your chances of actually coming across one, should they be reintroduced?

[Scorcher]

Scotland has so many absolute remote places though, what would be your chances of actually coming across one, should they be reintroduced?

 

How big is Scotland though in these terms? Yes there's plenty of wilderness but is it on the huge scale you need to support a bear population? Perhaps it would be more realistic for black bears to live there, as they can cope with a smaller area and are less dangerous to humans, but I don't think they've ever lived on these islands. The native Eurasian brown bear is much larger and potentially dangerous.

[UV-RAY]

I would love too see native species like wolves and bears reintroduced in the remoter parts of the highlands and I fail too see it being much of a problem as long as farmers are compensated for any losses to livestock. 

I'd love to see my brethren back in our countryside but it will never happen by plan. The only way would be release by independents and the hope that they could establish in their area before the became noticed. Only by being there and not causing issues would the argument for re-introduction be strong enough to possibly succeed? 

 

As it is we appear bound for a thermal max that could well see us positioned for many of the southern European species to become comfy here? is rapid climate shift reason enough to introduce critters that are failing in areas they once lived? We have already shifted our Dormice up to the lakes due to climate shift so why not open the doors to other species as the need arises? Some may make it under their own steam ( birds/insects) .but others might need a helping hand?

 

Of course the last major thermal max had hippo's and lions in Trafalgar sq and crocs as far north as Ellesmere island so plenty of scope for some interesting introductions as climate shifts over the coming century.............................

 

 

I'd love to see my brethren back in our countryside but it will never happen by plan. The only way would be release by independents and the hope that they could establish in their area before the became noticed. Only by being there and not causing issues would the argument for re-introduction be strong enough to possibly succeed? 

 

As it is we appear bound for a thermal max that could well see us positioned for many of the southern European species to become comfy here? is rapid climate shift reason enough to introduce critters that are failing in areas they once lived? We have already shifted our Dormice up to the lakes due to climate shift so why not open the doors to other species as the need arises? Some may make it under their own steam ( birds/insects) .but others might need a helping hand?

 

Of course the last major thermal max had hippo's and lions in Trafalgar sq and crocs as far north as Ellesmere island so plenty of scope for some interesting introductions as climate shifts over the coming century.............................

More chance of polar bears being native to these parts due to anything other than AGW.

[laserguy]

 

 

As it is we appear bound for a thermal max that could well see us positioned for many of the southern European species to become comfy here?

 

Is this the same 'reasoning' that was going around years ago, encouraging us all to rush out and buy tropical plants which could withstand the horrendous heat we should be experiencing right now? Ha ha, you gotta laff.

[Methuselah]

While we're at it, why don't we reintroduce smallpox virus; it is, after all, a perfectly natural part of our environment? 

[Alan Robinson]

Where I live there are sea eagles, and wolves have apparently reached Jutland from Schleswig Holstein. The sea eagles are persecuted, and there was recently an uproar about the wolves, with farmers demanding compensation for killed livestock, and a determined cull of them.

 

Now neither the eagles not the wolves do much damage at all, and it just goes to show that many Homo sapiens detest raptors and predators. Re-introducing wolves, bears and lynx to Britain would surely provoke some persecution of the wild creatures.

 

Neither does it help to keep the animals fenced in anywhere. In Les Alpes Maritimes, wolves have crossed from Italy into south east France and in the Mercantour park there is established an enclosed wolf reservation, where exhibitions explain the whole issue. It hasn't meliorated the wolves' plight at all, and moreover, I thought it distressing that those wonderful animals were penned into such a small area, unable to roam as nature would have it. It must be awful for them to hear the free wolves howling as they pass by.

 

Because of persecution, I am against the reintroduction.

Edited September 13, 2013 by Alan Robinson

[mike Meehan]

I recall seeing a program on the Yellowstone Park in the USA  - the wolves  there were hunted to extinction but this resulted in the natural prey of the wolf building up its numbers so much so that an imbalance in the local eco system developed leading to unforeseen results - if my memory serves me correctly, it was the beavers who expanded leading to increased damage to the forests.

 

In more recent years the wolves were re-introduced - they appear happy and this has led to a better balanced eco system for both the flora and fauna.

 

Wolves are not the fearsome creatures related to in fairy tales and apart from taking occasional livestock they do little harm to man and in the Scottish Highlands there should be plenty of their natural prey - deer, which I understand has to be culled from time to time to prevent over grazing and plenty of rabbits and hare and suchlike - I do not see the co-habitation of these areas with man a problem.

 

Very often we interfere at our peril.

[Alan Robinson]

I recall seeing a program on the Yellowstone Park in the USA  - the wolves  there were hunted to extinction but this resulted in the natural prey of the wolf building up its numbers so much so that an imbalance in the local eco system developed leading to unforeseen results - if my memory serves me correctly, it was the beavers who expanded leading to increased damage to the forests.

 

In more recent years the wolves were re-introduced - they appear happy and this has led to a better balanced eco system for both the flora and fauna.

Mike, that argument can be applied to many other species. Where I live, there is a plague of slugs. They apparently come from Spain, and arrived - as one can easily work out - with fresh produce carried by road. They are hated by Danes who call them "killer slugs" because they compete very successfully against the indigenous slugs.

 

I think people should reflect upon the real problem, which is the one you pointed out, namely imbalances in nature. Happily, in my kitchen garden I am not very bothered by the Spanish slugs because I have made 2 water holes which are inhabited by toads and frogs that eat the slugs with relish. However, round about, farmers have transformed the landscape into a barren wilderness for not only amphibians, but all manner of insects and mammals. It is a wonder we have sea eagles here.

[mike Meehan]

Mike, that argument can be applied to many other species. Where I live, there is a plague of slugs. They apparently come from Spain, and arrived - as one can easily work out - with fresh produce carried by road. They are hated by Danes who call them "killer slugs" because they compete very successfully against the indigenous slugs.

 

I think people should reflect upon the real problem, which is the one you pointed out, namely imbalances in nature. Happily, in my kitchen garden I am not very bothered by the Spanish slugs because I have made 2 water holes which are inhabited by toads and frogs that eat the slugs with relish. However, round about, farmers have transformed the landscape into a barren wilderness for not only amphibians, but all manner of insects and mammals. It is a wonder we have sea eagles here.

I think there is a difference between importing flora/fauna which is not altogether indigenous, though in the case of flora this is being done by a multitude of gardening centres, but in the case of the wolf, this was originally a indigenous species to our islands - the rabbits were not, they were imported by the Normans and they became so widespread that in the 50's the dreadful disease myxomatosis was introduced causing the foxes to concentrate more on our poultry.

 

By the very nature of our world today different species do get transported around the world - a typical examples are your Spanish slugs, no doubt brought in through imported flora, foreign crayfish decimating our local varieties, the upsurge of the grey squirrel against the red squirrel.

 

Yes it all does need very careful management to try and keep a balance in nature, which left to its own after countless ages manages to find a niche for most species but modern transport methods can upset the balance - nasty mosquitos can hitch a ride on an airliner and if arriving at Heathrow for example in the summer they could no doubt survive for long enough to develop a reproduction cycle and where you get species without natural predators their populations run riot - fortunately in the case of insects, especially the tropical varieties, our climate will kill them off after a time but it is certainly food for thought and does show the need for research with joined up thinking.