[Marches Farmer]

Only if you have a licence .... and here we go again .....

[clydesdaleclopper]

Evidence from other countries would indicate that sheep predation by lynx is very low.
Deer numbers do need controlling as they cause considerable damage so lynx introduction is an option to consider.


http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/29/will-reintroduced-lynx-hunt-britains-sheep

The study that was based on only accounted for where sheep are away from the forested areas. In forested areas such as Norway Lynx take a lot more sheep. Unfortunately where they are proposing to introduce them the are many sheep adjacent to the forested areas so losses are much more likely that they are claiming.

[Rosemary]

Evidence from other countries would indicate that sheep predation by lynx is very low.
Deer numbers do need controlling as they cause considerable damage so lynx introduction is an option to consider.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/29/will-reintroduced-lynx-hunt-britains-sheep

Deer numbers do need controlling - man is their only predator currently. But red deer are the majot issue here (I believe). Do lynx take red deer? I have only ever seen roe deer listed as usual prey.

And why can we no just eat the deer?

[waterbuffalofarmer]

precisely my point Rosemary. We have enough venison to go around in the UK and yet we import game from Canada?  People really need to see that the population needs controlling. There could be a big market for venison in the UK, it being one of the healthiest meats to eat.

[Marches Farmer]

I read in Farmers Guardian this week that The Lynx Trust stated that 91% of 9000 respondees to a question it asked about supporting the reintroduction of lynx thought it was a good idea.  What it totally failed to mention was how the people were selected:  Lynx Trust and Badger Trust supporters; people waiting for a tube train at Euston station; folks queueing to be first through the door at Debenhams sale?  I'll bet it wasn't a selection of farmers, smallholders, landowners, gamekeepers, vets and ecologists!

[Cosmore]

I read in Farmers Guardian this week that The Lynx Trust stated that 91% of 9000 respondees to a question it asked about supporting the reintroduction of lynx thought it was a good idea.  What it totally failed to mention was how the people were selected:  Lynx Trust and Badger Trust supporters; people waiting for a tube train at Euston station; folks queueing to be first through the door at Debenhams sale?  I'll bet it wasn't a selection of farmers, smallholders, landowners, gamekeepers, vets and ecologists!

As a bet your'e on a winner, it's a sure thing! The last people they'd ask is those who would be affected!

[ramon]

And why can we no just eat the deer


My neighbours rarely eat any other meat than roe deer and it does taste good.

Sheep losses in Norway are probably higher than in most other countries as the sheep are left on the hills /forests for most of the summer with little if any human supervision (a least in the part of Norway where I lived for a while).

The project is planning to introducing a very small number of lynx which will be closely monitored and they will be released in heavily forested areas. I am not sure about the tourism aspect the project describes. The chance of seeing a lynx in the wild is remote.

[Buttermilk]

What happened to the rule not introducing non native species.  OK we once had lynx but they died out centuries ago so no longer native to here.  However once they become a pest species again I would be in line for a nice fur coat.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

the problem about introducing them will be they will monitor them, for a few years, then once they start becoming a pest they will refuse to do anything (very much like the badger problem, they protected them and have refused to do anything in order to keep the population from fluctuating to an extent where they're causing the environment more harm than good). Anyway won't it imbalance the environment more? Why can't people leave things the way they're and shoot the animals which are getting out of control, without introducing an animal which will imbalance the environment further? Another issue is that with lynx's it would be very difficult to control the population, why don't they think it all through and ask everyone, not just people who have no concept of what nature is?! I oppose the motion strongly!

[nutterly_uts]

This sounds very similar to the introduction of wolves back into Yellowstone..

[Cheekierdiagram]

And why can we no just eat the deer




The project is planning to introducing a very small number of lynx which will be closely monitored and they will be released in heavily forested areas. I am not sure about the tourism aspect the project describes. The chance of seeing a lynx in the wild is remote.

Is everyone forgetting the Scottish wild cat one of the most endangered species in the country.  Surely they will turn from a rare predator to a extinct prey species. 

And from the sheep farmers point of view surely these densely forested areas will have fields around the boundaries??? Fields which are grazing sheep or cattle presumably.