Despite their obvious beauty and drama, many of Scotland’s landscapes are without the animals that helped shape them. At best, these places have become just scenery. Being postcard-worthy isn’t going to help Scotland tackle the overlapping nature and climate emergencies. For that, we need to do something more. We need to acknowledge that we have driven all of our large predators to extinction and to date, failed to allow any of them back.
Predators matter. They play a vital role in maintaining healthy living systems. Biodiversity is badly affected by their absence.
Across mainland Europe, the lynx is staging a comeback. Benefiting from a softening of public attitudes, this enigmatic feline has been successfully reintroduced to several countries and is now gaining in number and expanding its range. So, why not in Scotland?
In April this year, the case for reintroducing lynx was discussed in the Scottish Parliament for the first time – reflecting an emerging conversation around the return of this native species. Following the event, the Lynx to Scotland partnership, between charities SCOTLAND: The Big Picture, The Lifescape Project and Trees for Life, produced a briefing paper highlighting ten wide-ranging reasons for bringing back the lynx.
Lynx could revitalise the health of our forests. By reducing deer numbers – or just changing their behaviour – they could help Scotland’s forests to expand, boosting biodiversity and locking up more carbon. But the ecological case is not enough on its own. Returning lynx relies on winning people’s hearts and minds.
Scotland is one of only a handful of European countries still lacking any large predators. By refusing to countenance the return of an animal that is relatively easy to live with, we risk our international reputation, appearing intolerant and hypocritical.
The Scottish Government has committed to reversing biodiversity loss by 2045, acknowledging in the Edinburgh Declaration the need for transformative action. It is difficult to envision how these ambitions can be realised without reintroducing top predators. And, we shouldn’t forget that the public want lynx! A series of polls have demonstrated widespread support for their return.
But perhaps the most compelling case is the need to rewild ourselves. Lynx evoke a sense of awe and wonder that we only experience in the presence of wildness. For young people in particular, the return of this animal inspires hope and promises to help reconnect our frayed relationship with nature and in doing so, restoring a sense of pride in Scotland’s natural heritage.
Lynx to Scotland is a collaborative project led by Trees for Life, Scotland: The Big Picture and the Lifescape Project. It is funded by the Fred Foundation and Orp Foundation.
Read the initiative's most recent publication '10 reasons for bringing back lynx' here.