We need to get it right over lynx return

No one knows the motives behind the dumping of four lynx close to a lay-by in the Cairngorms last month. Thankfully, as widely reported, an expert team rapidly recaptured the cats, and three have survived their ordeal in sub-zero temperatures. But the images of lynx ‘free’ in Scotland has stirred powerful emotions.

Some have argued that the cats, despite their apparent tameness and lack of hunting knowledge, should have been left to fend for themselves rather than face a life back in captivity. Others have reached for their shotguns, metaphorically at least.

Amid all the noise and speculation, one thing is certain: this sorry episode has been a case study on why illegal animal abandonment like this is so irresponsible and wrong.

And it’s a reminder why an official future reintroduction of lynx to the Highlands must be properly managed with habitat assessments, public consultation, and a government licence.

An elusive woodland hunter of deer, the Eurasian lynx is a beautiful animal that poses no threat to humans. But it can take sheep, something of great concern to farmers. So, make no mistake, returning lynx to Scotland would be a big step – not least because we have forgotten how to live with large predators.

This tufty-eared, stubby-tailed labrador-sized feline has been absent from our shores since at least medieval times, when it was driven to extinction through hunting and habitat loss.

Lynx are known as a ‘keystone species’ because they maintain balance and diversity in an ecosystem, and other species and the wider environment are affected by their absence.

We know Scotland has enough suitable woodland for lynx to live in, and plenty of deer for them to prey on – sufficient to support a population of several hundred lynx in the Highlands.

Scotland has more woodland deer than any other European country, and the complete absence of predators leaves the country’s woodlands and forests overgrazed by too many deer.

Lynx projects across Europe have shown that a properly managed reintroduction would be relatively straightforward and successful. What has been holding back a Scottish reintroduction of this relatively benign predator are concerns about how this might affect rural livelihoods.

For the past four years, the three-charity Lynx to Scotland partnership has been carrying out extensive study, consultation and discussion involving a wide range of cross-sector stakeholders.

This work has shown that, while there is a willingness to examine whether potential barriers to a lynx reintroduction can be overcome, there are some deep concerns about the potential impact this animal could have on sheep in particular.

Our research has also shown that the debate about lynx is not as polarised as it might seem. While many have a straightforward ‘yes’ or ‘no’ position, there are others who either remain to be convinced, or want to be sure the time is right.

While polling shows a majority of people in Scotland support the return of lynx, those who are against it and feel they have much to lose want to have the final say. Yet at the same time, Scotland is one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries – and ecosystems cannot function in a healthy way without an apex predator. So how can we get beyond the impasse?

Part of the answer is for rewilders like me to take the time to properly listen to and understand the concerns of others. But that is not enough. There has to be open and respectful discussions to try to work out what would need to be done for people from different sectors to feel confident that a reintroduction programme will take their concerns seriously, and intervene if things start to go wrong.

This is a very high bar for any lynx reintroduction project to meet, but it is the only way for Scotland to get to a point when a legal reintroduction can take place.

All this takes time, and some pro-lynx campaigners argue we have waited long enough already. Like them, I passionately believe lynx should be back in Scotland. My view is we have a moral obligation to reintroduce these cats, because we hunted them to extinction in the first place.

Not only that, but bringing lynx back would offer real and significant ecological and economic benefits. Eco-tourism would flourish. The return of lynx would likely help with deer overpopulation and, because of their impact on smaller predators like foxes, help revive flagging species like capercaillie.

If we are serious about tackling the nature and climate emergencies, we need lynx back.

However, following many hours of consultations and discussions, I have also come to understand the views of those – especially small sheep farmers and crofters – who feel their livelihoods and lifestyles are already in jeopardy. For them glib answers to their concerns are frankly insulting.

The images of the four lynx in the Cairngorms have raised awareness of this charismatic cat and the fact that it used to live wild in Scotland. They have opened a wider debate about its return.

The episode has also led some to condone the illegal release of these animals because they think somehow this might establish a wild population. But this is not how we will see lynx return to Scotland. We have to do this properly and legally. And the decision ultimately lies with the Scottish Government.

For ministers to be convinced that a licence can be granted for a lynx reintroduction, they need to be confident that any problems will be quickly and effectively resolved. This means knowing exactly how we would intervene if lynx started to cause problems, and ensuring that the capacity to intervene is built into a reintroduction project from the start.

This is not easy and we do not have all the answers yet, but taking our time and getting it right does mean the prospect of seeing lynx wild in Scotland is getting ever closer. It is perhaps not a matter of will lynx return, but when.

By Steve Micklewright, Chief Executive of Trees for Life, which is a member of the Lynx to Scotland partnership. Originally published by the Press and Journal on 07/02/25.