Lynx reintroduction reservations.

[Hedera]

How would they get on with the fox population? People are getting edgy about those increasing and impinging on urban areas already, so how about the reaction on lynx, handsome as they are? Presumably they would predate smaller animals like rabbits.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Hedera

How would they get on with the fox population? People are getting edgy about those increasing and impinging on urban areas already, so how about the reaction on lynx, handsome as they are? Presumably they would predate smaller animals like rabbits.

They would certainly prey on Rabbits + though they are now considered as separate species, Rabbits are the main food of the rare Iberian Lynx. Lynx may also kill Foxes given the chance!

If I remember correctly there was a paper in British Wildlife a year or so back about the feasibility of a re-introduction of Lynx into the UK.

[King Edward]

Originally Posted by Adam Cheeseman

Much better to conserve the wildlife we have left, through habitat management, than keep trying to introduce larger mamamalian and avian species we wiped out in the first place. Too much of their habitat has been lost and the human population is far larger.

Lynx reintroduction can be considered a form of habitat management - through their effects on deer numbers and distribution (i.e. deer will tend to avoid places which are unsafe due to high predation risk), lynx can benefit those species currently suffering from excess deer numbers e.g. woodland herbs, shrubs and regenerating trees, and birds etc. that depend on these.

Also, there seems to be plenty of suitable habitat (and food) for lynx, given that the species is unobtrusive and ought to be able to live alongside humans given freedom from persecution. In this, it seems to be in a similar situation to the eagles and other large birds of prey, which would do fine in modern Britain if only they weren't continually poisoned etc.

[mpiekp]

Here's a link to a feasability study on it

Link

[Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by Hedera

How would they get on with the fox population? People are getting edgy about those increasing and impinging on urban areas already, so how about the reaction on lynx, handsome as they are? Presumably they would predate smaller animals like rabbits.

Originally Posted by aeshna5

They would certainly prey on Rabbits + though they are now considered as separate species, Rabbits are the main food of the rare Iberian Lynx. Lynx may also kill Foxes given the chance!

Easy, release them into London streets, that'll keep the vicious baby eating monster foxes under control, Plus unruly teenagers as well.

Just tell the press their a new type of tabby. Soon pensioners will be luring them into their back gardens. Hey, that would solve the pensions crisis as well

Win win all 'round, I say

[STYRBJORN]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

They would certainly prey on Rabbits + though they are now considered as separate species, Rabbits are the main food of the rare Iberian Lynx. Lynx may also kill Foxes given the chance!

If I remember correctly there was a paper in British Wildlife a year or so back about the feasibility of a re-introduction of Lynx into the UK.

I saw a suggestion recently that rather than reintroduce the Eurasian Lynx, which stil has a healthy population, we should introduce the Iberian Lynx ab initio as it is the most threatened of all cat species. Its prey is, as said, exclusively rabbits. The total wild population is less than 100 individuals. Sadly, rabbits are commonest in Southern England so Nimby will doubtless rear its ugly head.

Google Independent On Line, put Iberian Lynx in search box at top of front page.

Ric

[Dogghound]

Iberian lynx will also predate deer (calves) which is good in the control sense. Im not sure that releasing it in Britain would be a good idea though as it is not a native animal. It would be better to try to re-establish it in france and Italy. I dont see an issue with Eurasian lynx being reintroduced in an ecological sense however I feel persecution would make the project a waste of time and money.

[dickyboy]

I have read that cases of eurasian lynx taking livestock in the Alpine regions of europe is very low as they will rarely break cover into open pasture. With a huge supply of forest dwelling roe deer avaliable in Scotland I do not think persecution from humans regarding livestock predation will be a problem.

[STYRBJORN]

European lynx, Lynx lynx, are described as preying on "Hares, rabbits, rodents, grouse, wild boar, chamois, fox, roe deer, reindeer." They show a marked preference for smaller quarry, only turning to larger prey in winter when the smaller beasts are scarce. The only part of Britain with suitable conditions, including climate, is Scotland. Given the propensity for ghillies to target BOP and sod the law, there seems little likelihood of their re-introduction. They wouldn't last long.

Ric

[Flywaver]

Just reading the BBC Wildlife magazine about the Lynx and to my surprise is that Thetford Forest has been considered a suitable area for a population. As a regular in the forest i can see how some sort of control on the Muntjac makes perfect sens . But surely it is likely that inbreeding will occur unless there are dispersal corridors. But to where.......