ABOUT THE REPORT
This report was commissioned by the BDS in August after it was proposed that a reintroduction of lynx could help control Britain’s burgeoning deer population. The report gathers all current evidence about the lynx into one place, so an informed opinion can be formulated. It will be used to inform any responses the BDS may make during the consultation phase of any future applications to release lynx into the wild. It is also hoped to submit for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal by the authors.
John Bruce, chairman of the BDS Research Committee, explains: “There have been many differing reports on lynx in the press. This report addresses some of the main issues around the proposals and refines the evidence found in similar release programmes. Readers will come to their own conclusions about the probability of conflict and the probity of releasing Lynx.”
The BDS’s Scientific Advisor, Dr Alastair Ward, adds: “The BDS has been watching the debate with interest. We were keen to understand the pros and cons, particularly as they relate to deer and animal welfare, and to gather and synthesise this information from an independent, impartial source for the public good.”
FURTHER READING
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