The Lynx UK Trust has submitted an application for a trial reintroduction of six Eurasian lynx in the Kielder Forest region to Natural England; this is the first application ever made in the UK for the species or any other apex predator.

The Kielder region, which sits between Northumberland and the Scottish Borders was selected by the group as the focus area for its work last summer. Lynx UK Trust said on Monday that Scottish Natural Heritage will be kept fully informed throughout the application process.

Lynx have been absent in Britain for over 1,000 years, and although recent research has shown environmental and social benefits from reintroducing predators into their former habitats, farming groups including the National Sheep Association (NSA) have staunchly opposed Lynx UK Trust’s plans. NSA is concerned about predation of sheep by lynx and claims that the British countryside has changed too much in the centuries that lynx have been absent to support the species today. The Association’s chief executive has also claimed farmers will be allowed to shoot lynx they feel are threatening their livestock.  

Lynx UK Trust promises that reintroductions elsewhere suggest that livestock predation will be rare, and that the return of lynx will bring down populations of roe deer (their favoured prey animal) to sustainable levels; the Trust claims the deer are damaging the UK's native forest ecosystem causing problems all the way down the food chain.

Elsewhere in Europe, lynx reintroductions have apparently been a success. Once decimated across the continent to just 700 individuals there are now over 10,000 animals, as lynx have returned to forests in Germany, France and Switzerland. The Trust claims that in mainland Europe lynx have taken less than one sheep every two years, on average, but that lynx will prove to be a driver of ‘wildlife tourism’ and that compensation will be available for any livestock that are lost.

Two weeks ago, the Trust announced that its consultation with locals in the Kielder region had come to an end and that it would be making an application before September. On Monday, Dr Paul O'Donoghue, Chief Scientific advisor on the project, commented, “It's incredibly exciting to see it all come together after an intense couple of years. Tens of thousands of man hours of work by a huge team of people have gone into consultations shaping this final application which marks a significant milestone in the history of UK conservation.

“Lynx can bring huge benefits to the Kielder region; we could see a wave of economic regeneration as it becomes known as the kingdom of the lynx; a unique eco-tourism destination right in the middle of Britain. We've had a lot of positive feedback from local businesses and it would be amazing to work with them developing that, from the Angler's Arms pub in Kielder Village, already sporting a life-size replica lynx above the bar, to all kinds of new guest houses, guided walks and wildlife watching activities creating new jobs in the area.

“We've now reached a point where we feel every piece of research has been done, every concern that can be raised has been raised, and the only way to move truly forward is with an intensively monitored trial reintroduction of a small number of cats. That can tell us exactly how suitable the lynx would be for a larger reintroduction. We very much hope the lynx has the opportunity to prove it can bring so much to the local community and the UK as a whole.””

If permission is given, six Eurasian lynx (four females and two males) will be reintroduced in the Kielder Forest region for a five year period, wearing satellite collars to monitor their movements. The cats will come from healthy wild populations in Europe and be subject to full veterinary screening. The lynx would be intently studied over a five year period amassing information that could indicate whether a full reintroduction can be carried out with more individuals across a wider area; much of Scotland has often been highlighted as having a huge potential for lynx habitat.

The Trust will now wait on a response from Natural England, though it has previously said that the application process “can be quite open-ended” and that it’s possible Natural England may request further information on the proposed reintroduction trial, meaning a timeframe for the process is impossible to provide.