Session 5 - Lynx reintroduction

Session 5 - Lynx reintroduction

1. Background

   • State Nature Report 2016
     • 1970-2013 - 56% of species declines
       • 40% showed strong or moderate declines
     • UK lost significantly more nature over long term than global average
   • Lynx UK Trust
     • Seeking the necessary licence/s to conduct a highly regulated 5 year scientific trial, studying the effects of Eurasian lynx on selected sites in Scotland and/or England
       • Will observe, measure and analyse the effects of lynx on various aspects of the UK's natural, social and economic environments
   • About lynx
     • What is a lynx?
       • Medium sized cat
       • Highly secretive, lives in woodland areas
       • Prey: deer
     • Lynx in the UK: history
       • Carbon dating shows lynx in N.England 1400 YBP
       • Human activities (e.g. deforestation/habitat loss, hunting, trapping) led to extinction in the UK
         • However, these risk factors have since been mitigated
           • Reforestation
           • Significant shift in hunting practices
           • Complete cessation of fur trapping and trading
           • Abundance of prey species (many species of deer)
             • Population density of prey species were estimated
               • Highlands Scotland = could support 2.63 lynx/100km^2
                 • A highlands habitat network could support ~400 lynx
               • Southern Uplands = could support 0.83 lynx/100km^2
                 • A Southern uplands habitat network could support ~50 lynx
                   • If this went ahead Scotland would have 4th largest population of Eurasian lynx in Europe

2. Why trial a lynx reintroduction?

   • Restoring ecosystems
     • Reintroducing an apex predator would help to restore ecosystem balance
       • Deer control --> allows woodland to regrow
       • Fox control --> bird numbers increase
       • Provides carrion for birds/other scavengers
     • Trophic cascades
       • Displayed by reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone (1995)
         • Top-down regulation
         • More balanced ecological 'mid-level'
         • Good for bears
         • Landscape restoration as the wolves hunt deer which normally over-graze the area
     • Beavers were successfully reintroduced into Scotland via trials
       • Became extinct in 16th century mainly because of hunting for their meat and 'castoreum' (a secretion used in perfumes, food and medicines)
       • It is a keystone species
         • Coppice trees --> the regrowth provides homes for a variety of insects and birds
           • Craneflies, water beetles and dragonflies all support breeding fish and insect-eating birds like spotted flycatchers
         • Other wetland species will benefit, like otters, water voles, water shrews and wildfowl
       • Licensed trial --> reintroduction of 4 families to Argyll
         • Also a large and expanding unlicensed population in Tay catchment for more than a decade
         • November 2016 Scottish Government will remain in Scotland as a protected species with an active management programme
       • Legal obligation to consider restoring beavers to their former range under the EU Habitats Directive and to protect them under the Bern Convention
       • Been >200 (licensed) beaver reintroduction projects in more than 26 European countries
       • Management against human conflict
         • Reducing localised flooding, protecting individual trees, preventing burrowing into banks
         • Will be relocated (under regulations and legal framework) if still causing problems
           • But many reintroduced beaver populations in mainland Europe continue thrive under such managed conditions
   • Controlling deer
     • Reduced costs to forestry operations
       • £1.7m in savings
     • Lower risk of deer related traffic accidents
       • £980K saved
     • Less damage to arable crops near woodland areas
       • £720K saved
     • Paper published showed that presence of lynx in Norway was negatively correlated with the roe deer long-term average population growth
   • Economic opportunities
     • Reintroducing lynx at 2 sites in the UK could provide net benefits to the UK economy of £68 million over 25 years
       • Lots of different places bring in lots of revenue from their wildlife
         • Wolves, Yellowstone = £24 mill/year
         • General wildlife, Scotland = £297 mill/year
         • Sea birds, Orkney = £1.8 mill/year
       • ~£29.5 million for Kielder and ~£36.2 million for Thetford
     • Provides jobs and training opportunities
     • Economic impact of lynx in the Harz Mountains
       • 50% of respondents listed lynx as an important reason to visit
       • Total income due to lynx = £7.5-12.5 million
       • Lots of lynx tourism sites are now in Harz mountains
     • Existence value
       • ~£10.2 million over 25 years for Kielder and ~£3.8 million for Thetford

3. Potential issues and how they were overcome

   • Predation on livestock?
     • EU 0.4 sheep/lynx/year killed by lynx (higher in Norway)
       • Negligible compared to how many sheep are killed by dogs (739 sheep attacked in 2012)
       • Negligible to number of lambs killed by disease, malnutrition, exposure & natural mortality = 2-6 mill/year
     • Insurance company in London said they would insure every sheep in the UK for £500
     • Costs per kill based on double market value for any sheep lost (£140)
     • Impact on game/other species is negligible
     • In Harz they spent £890 on average per year on sheep compensation from 2000-2014
   • Costs of monitoring/maintaining population
     • ~£724,000 for Kielder and Thetford over 25 years
   • Negligible risk to human health
     • Actual potential reduction in disease transmission due to control of fox & deer numbers

4. Plans for the 5 year trial

   • Estimated no. deer killed = 781 (Aberdeenshire); 925-996 (Kielder Forest)
   • Initial population = 6 lynx (4 F and 2 M)
     • F with no litter breed every year, without litter it's every 3 years
       • 2-3 kittens per litter, 50% mortality
       • Should be ~10/14 lynx at end of trial
     • Lynx are independent at 10 months and can breed at 2-3 years
     • Mortality rates were looked at in Scandinavia
       • Most deaths were from starvation and vehicle collisions
       • Mean mortality rates for adults increased from 2-17% when hunting and poaching were included
         • Led a 20% annual increase to drop to 2-4%
         • Would need to make sure strict laws in place to stop this
   • Public consultation
     • National survey shows 84% strongly agreed the trial should begin within next year
       • 88% said they would visit the lynx facilities
     • Local forum
       • 10/12 local representatives
       • Range of interest groups
       • Design of compensation process
       • Feedback & representation to communities
     • Consultation details
       • Pre trial
         • Compensation strategy developed with stakeholders
         • Monitoring/evaluation strategy developed with stakeholders
         • Exit strategies developed with stakeholders
         • Animal welfare strategy developed with veterinary team and stakeholders
     • Wolf, bear and lynx are listed as Species of Community Interest within the Habitats Directive 1992
   • Primary zone = one area ~300km^2
     • Covers Kielder village (and surrounding farms and isolated houses) and Falstone village (& surrounding hamlets)
     • How did they go about this?
       • Initial community meeting
       • Drop in sessions in local centres
       • Door-to-door communication and questionnaire
       • Farming and business community engagement
       • Establishment of a local advisory group
   • Secondary zone = one area ~775km^2
     • Covers Redesdale Valley, communities of Byrness, Cottonshopeburnfoot, Stonehaugh and larger settlements like Newcastleton and Bellingham
     • How did they go about this?
       • Community meeting
         • Also had subsequent follow up meetings
       • Provision of project information
       • Opportunity to remain involved with project via advisory group, project website, twitter feeds etc.