Lynx Feasibility Study
Starting in April 2021, Lifescape has been undertaking a comprehensive, collaborative and multidisciplinary feasibility study of reintroduction of lynx (Lynx lynx) to England and Wales, building on our previous experience, lessons learned, recent work such as Walsh (2020), and the best available new evidence and information.
This work is not an application for a licence to reintroduce lynx to the UK, but rather a feasibility study that takes a step back from recent discourse to consider all relevant aspects of feasibility of such a reintroduction, including all aspects of ecological, legal and economic feasibility.
The study will incorporate all relevant knowledge on the subject, including the findings of Natural England’s Technical Assessment of a licence application made in 2017 and rejected in 2018, learnings from relevant species reintroduction case studies compiled by the IUCN’s “Global Reintroductions Perspectives” series, learnings from other lynx reintroduction projects in Europe, and learnings from the experiences of other organisations who have recently engaged in species reintroduction projects in England, amongst other sources. In particular, it will pursue the recommendations within Walsh (2020) as to areas of evidence that require further investigation.
It will be carried out in accordance with the IUCN Guidelines on species reintroductions and other conservation translocations and DEFRA’s new Reintroductions and Other Conservation Translocations: Code and Guidance for England.
The study will draw conclusions based on the evidence in relation to all key aspects of reintroduction feasibility, including identifying any current barriers to the feasibility of the reintroduction of the Eurasian lynx in England and Wales, and making recommendations as to next steps for further investigation, if appropriate.
Our lynx work is led by Deborah Brady, our Lead Ecologist. If you want to learn more about this exciting area you can get in touch with Deborah.
