Lynx in Scotland

[WCZ]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/11/one-...

what's going on with this?

who released them and is it really that dangerous for them to exist in Scotland? - one of the ones captured died but was that to do with the environment or perhaps trauma?

[Japveesix]

The information seems to be that these are domesticated animals, so not in any way prepared for life in the wild. Far too used to humans (presumably why they were all so easily recaptured).

Sad that one has died, likely just from massive amounts of stress I imagine. Who knows how many times they've been moved into different boxes etc or how many miles they've travelled recently just to get to the release area.

I'd love to see lynx back in the UK, in Scotland especially, and I'm fairly sure there is room for a self sustaining population without much impact on people or livestock etc. But it does need to be carried out in the right way.

It'll be interesting to see if the origins of these animals can be traced and if anyone then gets prosecuted. Someone must know where they came from, pretty hard to keep the breeding of a large group of lynx a secret surely?

[Silvanus]

Lynx in Scotland (Northern England) would be fantastic, but it needs to be done properly.

Rumour has it these were semi tame Lynx that were part of a collection. Releasing tame Lynx into the wild in winter is a fking stupid thing to do. The sort of actions that set back genuine rewilding and reintroduction projects.

[Silvanus]

Japveesix said:

The information seems to be that these are domesticated animals, so not in any way prepared for life in the wild. Far too used to humans (presumably why they were all so easily recaptured).

Sad that one has died, likely just from massive amounts of stress I imagine. Who knows how many times they've been moved into different boxes etc or how many miles they've travelled recently just to get to the release area.

I'd love to see lynx back in the UK, in Scotland especially, and I'm fairly sure there is room for a self sustaining population without much impact on people or livestock etc. But it does need to be carried out in the right way.

It'll be interesting to see if the origins of these animals can be traced and if anyone then gets prosecuted. Someone must know where they came from, pretty hard to keep the breeding of a large group of lynx a secret surely?

It's sounding like a private collector and not someone who is involved with any of the reintroduction projects.

[TheJimi]

WCZ said:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/11/one-...

what's going on with this?

who released them and is it really that dangerous for them to exist in Scotland? - one of the ones captured died but was that to do with the environment or perhaps trauma?

As others have noted, these Lynx were, in all probability, more of less domesticated, or near as.

That being so, they almost certainly wouldn't have the skills to survive in the wild, not least having little fear of humans.

It's not about the environment being dangerous for Lynx per-se.

Edited by TheJimi on Saturday 11th January 17:56

[Evanivitch]

We need Lynx across Britain to keep the deer population down.

But this is a really poor way to try and reintroduce the population if it was done deliberately.

[TheJimi]

Yeah if the release was done in the circumstances that are being spoken about, it was bloody irresponsible.

[gotoPzero]

The way they approached humans they were very tame. A real wild cat wont come near a human in normal circumstances.

Sad to hear that one has since died from the stress of all this.

[bobtail4x4]

if we are releasing big cats into the wild, can we start with Hyde park and other large southern spaces?

[Silvanus]

bobtail4x4 said:

if we are releasing big cats into the wild, can we start with Hyde park and other large southern spaces?

Maybe Westminster? And a much bigger cat than a spaniel sized Eurasian Lynx. Maybe a Pride of Lions

[fly by wire]

Might make the place smell a bit better.

[MC Bodge]

Evanivitch said:

We need Lynx across Britain to keep the deer population down..

Would a Lynx really be very effective at hunting deer?

Cougars would be more suitable.

[Silvanus]

MC Bodge said:

Evanivitch said:

We need Lynx across Britain to keep the deer population down..

Would a Lynx really be very effective at hunting deer?

Cougars would be more suitable.

Yes, very especially roe. They are effective in deer management by hunting a small number, but dramatically changing deer behaviour, the ecology of fear.

Cougars aren't native to Europe let alone the UK, Lynx are and their populations are bouncing back in some areas.

[thegreenhell]

MC Bodge said:

Would a Lynx really be very effective at hunting deer?

Cougars would be more suitable.

Deer are their preferred prey. An adult lynx can kill and consume around 60 deer per year.

Cougars would be a problem for livestock and humans as well as deer.

[Silvanus]

thegreenhell said:

MC Bodge said:

Would a Lynx really be very effective at hunting deer?

Cougars would be more suitable.

Deer are their preferred prey. An adult lynx can kill and consume around 60 deer per year.

Cougars would be a problem for livestock and humans as well as deer.

Definitely, cougars (pumas) are much bigger and hunt different prey in a different way.

[Evanivitch]

Silvanus said:

MC Bodge said:

Evanivitch said:

We need Lynx across Britain to keep the deer population down..

Would a Lynx really be very effective at hunting deer?

Cougars would be more suitable.

Yes, very especially roe. They are effective in deer management by hunting a small number, but dramatically changing deer behaviour, the ecology of fear.

Cougars aren't native to Europe let alone the UK, Lynx are and their populations are bouncing back in some areas.

Not forgetting we also gave a bad muntjac issue across Britain.

But yes, there's some great evidence in Scotland of how deer are able to browse small trees easily on open ground, which leaves you will ecologically dead land. Predators means deer are less likely to feed in the open and much less likely to dwell for long periods.

Even then, a Lynx can reduce population of young and sick deer.

[richhead]

MC Bodge said:

Would a Lynx really be very effective at hunting deer?

Cougars would be more suitable.

didnt know 50 yo hotties were good at killing deer

[hidetheelephants]

Evanivitch said:

We need Lynx across Britain to keep the deer population down.

But this is a really poor way to try and reintroduce the population if it was done deliberately.

They're not likely to have much effect on deer, lynx aren't big enough to take down anything other than the sick or very young; rabbits on the other hand will get eaten, along with other small things so rats, mink, etc. Their presence will change the behaviour of deer, which will help forest regeneration. The UK has terribly degraded heath and uplands because there are too many deer and irresponsible sheep grazing and a complete absence of apex predators. Bring on the wolves, brown bear and lynx I say. The farm lobby whine about it but provided the predators are tagged so they can be associated with livestock kills and compensation paid I don't see what meaningful obstacles there are.

[thegreenhell]

hidetheelephants said:

They're not likely to have much effect on deer, lynx aren't big enough to take down anything other than the sick or very young; rabbits on the other hand will get eaten, along with other small things so rats, mink, etc. Their presence will change the behaviour of deer, which will help forest regeneration. The UK has terribly degraded heath and uplands because there are too many deer and irresponsible sheep grazing and a complete absence of apex predators. Bring on the wolves, brown bear and lynx I say. The farm lobby whine about it but provided the predators are tagged so they can be associated with livestock kills and compensation paid I don't see what meaningful obstacles there are.

They primarily hunt deer. They're unlikely to take down a large stag, but a Eurasian lynx will easily kill a roe deer or adult female red deer. They only hunt smaller mammals when deer aren't available.

[Silvanus]

thegreenhell said:

hidetheelephants said:

They're not likely to have much effect on deer, lynx aren't big enough to take down anything other than the sick or very young; rabbits on the other hand will get eaten, along with other small things so rats, mink, etc. Their presence will change the behaviour of deer, which will help forest regeneration. The UK has terribly degraded heath and uplands because there are too many deer and irresponsible sheep grazing and a complete absence of apex predators. Bring on the wolves, brown bear and lynx I say. The farm lobby whine about it but provided the predators are tagged so they can be associated with livestock kills and compensation paid I don't see what meaningful obstacles there are.

They primarily hunt deer. They're unlikely to take down a large stag, but a Eurasian lynx will easily kill a roe deer or adult female red deer. They only hunt smaller mammals when deer aren't available.

Yep, they have pretty much evolved with roe deer being their main food. They can take them down quite easily including smaller fallow, and young red. Muntjac would be a snack. They are more likely to take forest hares than rabbits.