Lynx and Wild Boars May once again Roam Free in the Highlands
Wolves, boars and big cats might be reintroduced to the wilds of Scotland.
Conservationists are meeting near Inverness today to discuss the
possibility of re-establishing these native mammals in the Highlands.
The successful reintroduction of bird species, such as white-tailed
sea eagles and red kites, as well as the imminent return of beavers to
parts of Argyle, has seen support swing in favour of welcoming back
species once persecuted to extinction.
Dan Pulpett, of the environmental campaign group Trees for Life, which
seeks to re-establish 900 square miles of the Caledonian Forest north
of the Great Glen, believes the experience of other countries which
have gone down that route has proved too compelling to ignore.
"It is not just about trying to recreate the past but moving forward
to re-establish healthy eco-systems in which these animals will play a
crucial role," Mr Pulpett said. "There are also clear cultural and
economic benefits. Lynx reintroduced in Switzerland and Germany have
given tourism there a major boost."
While acknowledging that these animals could pose a danger, both to
livestock and humans, he said it was a question of putting the threat
in perspective. "People face threats every day that are much more
dangerous, such as travelling by car, or of serious illness, but they
accept them as part of life."
Some of the lost species are already gaining a tentative foothold back
in their former strongholds. On the Alladale Estate, owned by MFI
furniture heir Paul Lister, elk and wild boar are living happily, and
he is now pressing the case for lynx, wolves and bears. The fact that
boar have been living relatively happily alongside humans in southern
England after escaping in the 1987 hurricane has also added support to
the case.
The Independent: October 2008
