Latest news with #reintroduction
The Independent
a day ago
- General
- The Independent
Labrador-sized big cat could be reintroduced into wild in UK within two years
The government's wildlife chief has said he would be 'absolutely delighted' if he could reintroduce lynx to Britain during his two-year term. Tony Juniper, chair of Natural England - the government's wildlife regulator - said that while debates over the labrador-sized cat's return to the British wild remained polarised, more engagement was needed to understand how different communities would be affected. This follows a draft application by Lynx UK Trust to return lynx to England's largest forest, Kielder in Northumberland, using wild animals rescued from culls in Sweden. Lynx, a species of cat which has been hunted to extinction in Britain, primarily live in forests and prey on deer or rabbits, posing no threat to humans. Lynx UK claim that they may be the answer to the UK's overpopulation of deer, which has impacted forest regeneration with a knock-on effect on wider wildlife. When asked if he believed lynx could be reintroduced by The Guardian, Mr Juniper said 'it should be looked at and I know people are looking at it', adding he hoped 'a cross-border conversation with colleagues in Scotland' could boost prospects for the return of the species. 'Lynx do need big areas of habitat and there could be some opportunities to combine nature recovery over parts of northern England with what's going on in southern Scotland,' he said. 'It is still quite polarised and some of these things will remain divided no matter how much effort you put in, but we need more engagement to understand how communities that would be living with these animals would be able to continue with what they do. There are in some places still serious doubts about that.' Natural England officials have told the trust that a trial reintroduction can't proceed because the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) rules it illegal under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act. The charity believe that this could be solved with a simple statutory instrument. Chief executive, Paul O'Donoghue, told The Guardian that Steve Reed, environment secretary, had not responded to attempts to arrange a meeting, and warned that if the government didn't review the trust's application for a trial release licence, then the charity would launch a court challenge. A Defra spokesperson said: 'This government is absolutely committed to restoring and protecting nature and we support species reintroductions where there are clear benefits for nature, people and the environment. 'We will continue to work with Natural England on species reintroductions in England.' Lynx are currently listed on the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, which means local authorities must licence lynx keeping and can't release them unless into a secure enclosure.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
England wildlife regulator chair ‘enthusiastic' about Lynx rewilding
The head of the government's wildlife regulator has said he remains 'enthusiastic' about reintroducing lynx to Britain and would be 'absolutely delighted' if it could be achieved during his two-year term. But Tony Juniper, the chair of Natural England, added that debates over the animal's release were 'still quite polarised' and required 'more engagement' to understand how communities would be affected. The Lynx UK Trust has submitted a draft application for a trial return of lynx to England's largest forest, Kielder, in Northumberland, using wild animals rescued from culls in Sweden. The charismatic but elusive labrador-sized cat lives in forests and preys mainly on deer or rabbits, posing no threat to humans. It was hunted to extinction in Britain, finally disappearing from Scotland in the middle ages. By the 1950s, there were barely 700 Eurasian lynx left in Europe, but in recent decades the population has bounced back to 18,000, boosted by a reduction in persecution and successful reintroductions to areas of Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland and other countries. The Lynx UK Trust has been told by Natural England officials that a trial reintroduction cannot proceed because the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) rules it illegal under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act. According to the Lynx UK Trust, this could be solved with a simple statutory instrument – a legal tweak – but the charity's chief executive, Paul O'Donoghue, said that Steve Reed, the environment secretary, had not responded to attempts to arrange a meeting despite giving an initial warm response. O'Donoghue said that if the government would not review the trust's application for a licence for a trial release, it would launch a court challenge. Asked if he believed lynx could be reintroduced, Juniper said: 'It should be looked at and I know people are looking at it.' He said he hoped that 'a cross-border conversation with colleagues in Scotland' could boost prospects for the return of the species. 'Lynx do need big areas of habitat and there could be some opportunities to combine nature recovery over parts of northern England with what's going on in southern Scotland,' he said. 'It is still quite polarised and some of these things will remain divided no matter how much effort you put in, but we need more engagement to understand how communities that would be living with these animals would be able to continue with what they do. There are in some places still serious doubts about that.' But O'Donoghue said calls for 'more engagement' were a waste of time and money. 'Unless he has been living under a rock for the past 30 years, Tony Juniper must know that sheep farmers will never change their position on lynx reintroduction, making more calls for more engagement utterly futile,' he said. 'The sad and stark truth is that currently the government are actively blocking any legal attempt at lynx reintroduction.' As well as the draft application from the Lynx UK Trust, two other charitable collaborations are conducting consultations over lynx reintroduction. The Missing Lynx Project is exploring the feasibility of reintroducing the carnivore to Kielder, while the Lynx to Scotland partnership last month produced a 100-page report after consulting 53 stakeholders including farmer interests about a potential return to the Cairngorms. The report identified potential conflict between lynx and sheep farmers and recommended payments for losses and coexistence, as well as a funded rapid-response system for farmers experiencing sheep predation. Any reintroduction in Scotland requires approval from the Scottish government after another public consultation and ecological assessments. Four lynx were illegally released in the Cairngorms in January, with one dying and three females recaptured and rehomed at the Highland Wildlife Park. Rogue rewilders were blamed, but the animals were tame and many believe they were simply released from a private collection. O'Donoghue said the Kielder reintroduction area in England – where Lynx UK Trust had an application declined in 2018 – would be ideal, offering the spacious landscape that most benefits lynx in a forest environment with relatively few sheep-farming interests. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion 'I have no idea why the government are so scared of lynx. Lynx have naturally recolonised countries such as Belgium and the Netherlands with great celebration and no issues,' he said. 'Lynx are proven drivers of both economic and ecological restoration. They would generate millions of pounds every year to the local economy in Kielder, providing both green, sustainable jobs and improving the health and resilience of forest ecosystems. In Germany, a reintroduction in the Harz mountains has been so successful that a second reintroduction is now planned in Bavaria.' Juniper agreed that lynx reintroductions such as that in Harz had boosted regional economies with lynx-related tourism. Juniper also sits on the board of the Fauna & Flora charity which has projects helping Romanian farmers coexist with the wolf and bear. Juniper added: 'It's not so much about the ecology of whether these animals would have enough to eat or whether they'd have a big enough home range, it's much more about the social conditions that they arrive in and the attitudes of the communities that would live with them. And so we probably do need to do some more work there to be able to get to that point. But that's work in progress and people are working on that and Natural England is talking to those folks who are doing some of that work.' Asked about a potential legal challenge over the latest lynx reintroduction application, a Defra spokesperson said: 'This government is absolutely committed to restoring and protecting nature and we support species. We will continue to work with Natural England on species reintroductions in England.' It is understood that the government wants more evidence of the effects of the management of large predators before any reintroduction is considered. O'Donoghue added: 'The fact that the UK is one of the only countries in the world without an apex predator should be a source of huge shame for the government. We are in a biodiversity crisis. It is time for the greenwashing and needless conversations to stop and for real actions to occur. 'It really is a no-brainer. Lynx are the perfect predator to reintroduce as they pose zero threat to humans yet provide so many societal benefits.'
BBC News
20-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Second pair of breeding ospreys in Poole a 'major milestone'
A second pair of breeding ospreys has been spotted in a "major milestone" for a reintroduction project, a charity has of Poole Harbour said the two ospreys, female 1H1 and male 374, were only the second pair of breeding ospreys in southern England since first pair, female CJ7 and male 022, hatched four chicks in of Poole Harbour said 1H1 and 374 hatched two chicks, one on 3 June and one on 5 June. "This is another major milestone for the project, and is a real testament to the hard work that goes into reintroduction projects," the charity said. Male 374 and female 1H1 first encountered one another last year and established a pair bond, the charity 1H1 returned in the spring and roamed the local area, visiting many of the nest platforms she and 374 had found the previous 5 April, 374 was also spotted in the area, and they found one another again on 6 April. The first egg was laid on 24 charity said it would not share the location of the nesting site to ensure "the ongoing protection and success" of the new added there would be no livestream of "Nest Two", but that important updates would be shared. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
12-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Dormice reintroduced at Bradgate Park to boost population
More than 20 hazel dormice have been reintroduced to Leicestershire as part of a project to boost the species' declining help them adapt, the animals will be housed in open cages in a secret location within Bradgate Park, near Newton Linford, before being released into the dormouse population has dropped by 70% nationally since 2000, and the species is now extinct in 20 English counties, according to a 2023 White, dormouse and training officer at the People's Trust for Endangered Species, said the reintroduction could provide "vital stepping stones to start a new population of dormice". "We're hopeful that by autumn, the dormice will have settled into the woodland," he added. "If we start to see litters later this year, it will mark the beginning of their return. "It's a big day for the county, as dormice haven't been seen here for a very long time." Volunteers will monitor the dormice daily over a 10-day period, topping up food and water while the animals adjust to their new this time, the dormice will remain in mesh enclosures before being released to forage for they settle in, they are expected to begin breeding and dispersing into surrounding woodland and hedgerows. Volunteer Hazel Edwards, who helped prepare the site, said: "A couple of weeks ago we started setting up large open cages in the woods so the dormice would acclimatise."From today, we'll feed and care for them daily. The cages are filled with fresh hazel twigs, water, and food. "After about 10 days, we'll open the cages, and they'll move into nesting boxes we've placed nearby. Hopefully, those will become their forever homes."Mr White added the reintroduction formed "part of a long-term effort" to bring the species back to said: "It took 100 years for numbers to fall - restoring them will take just as long."
The Guardian
25-05-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Western quolls and brushtail possums thrive in national park a decade after reintroduction
Western quolls (Idnya) and brushtail possums (Virlda), once locally extinct, are flourishing in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges national park 10 years after their reintroduction. 'They're pretty funny. We go spotlighting at night … you can spotlight at the campsite there and see them running around, looking for bits of food,' National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) reintroduction ecologist Talitha Moyle said. 'They can be quite inquisitive, but they can also be shy … some can be bold, it depends on their personality.' Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email In March, NPWS rangers and volunteers caught, scanned and released 135 western quolls and 30 brushtail possums over five nights. The Idnya and Virlda are culturally significant to the Adnyamathanha people of the greater Flinders Ranges area. The quolls lived in the area for centuries, and over about 80% of the continent before European settlement. They were last seen in the Flinders Ranges in the 1880s and are extinct everywhere except part of Western Australia. 'They're a carnivorous marsupial. They scavenge carrion, they eat insects, birds, eggs, reptiles, baby rabbits … any opportunistic things if they can get it and it's the right size to grab,' Moyle said. 'The females are about 800g to 1.2kg and the boys are up to 2.5kg – like a small native cat.' The possums used to be common but are thought to have become extinct in the 1940s, according to the Landscape SA arid lands board. While some consider them a pest in urban areas, their populations are only considered stable in two regions outside Adelaide. The Bounceback program and the Foundation for Australia's Most Endangered Species (Fame) reintroduced the quolls in 2014 and the possums in 2015. They are now breeding in 'safer havens' in the national park, areas where feral animals have been reduced. Through Bounceback, Fame and the environment and water department have established three havens, each about 500 sq km, for endangered species in the state's far north. The Fame chief executive, Tracy McNamara, said it took 'bold action' to return the animals to the Flinders. And she pointed out that it has been done without the need for a fence. Moyle said while fencing could be useful, it was good to have them back in the wild by managing cats, foxes, and grazing pressure. Upcoming SA projects included protecting threatened plants, bilbies, Bassian thrushes and red-tailed phascogales – tiny, carnivorous marsupials. The state environment minister, Susan Close, said the Bounceback program was SA's longest-running, landscape-scale biodiversity program, helping people learn more about the species being reintroduced. 'The western quoll has shown it can be adaptable to harsh conditions if other factors such as boosting biodiversity and feral control are in place,' she said. There are various projects across the country to reintroduce quolls. Last year, the Wild Deserts project saw 20 burrowing bettongs and 20 western quolls released into Sturt national park, in New South Wales, as part of a project to reintroduce seven locally extinct mammals. The Wild Deserts principal ecologist, Dr Rebecca West, said it was 'like time-travelling … going back to what it would have been like 200 years ago if you set up camp in the Strzelecki desert'. In 2016, Australian National University researchers reintroduced the eastern quoll to the mainland after 50 years' absence. In 2022, 50 eastern quolls were released in the Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary in the Great Dividing Range. Eastern quolls were also released to boost the Tasmanian population in March. Moyle said visitors to the Ikara-Flinders national park might be able to see a western quoll in the wild near Wilpena. 'If you are incredibly lucky, your camping trip might go to the next level in terms of spotting endangered wildlife,' she said. 'The key is to be quiet and to use a torch.'
