Should lynx be reintroduced to the UK? Last sightings and reducing conflict | UK Wildlife Species

[@FeraForus]

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[@rebeccadonaldson1464]

I saw an Eurasian Lynx in Suffolk (Ipswich) in 1997. I stood looking over a gate and it looked at me from about 20 ft for over 5 minutes. I went back with my camera and although I was on a public road a Policewoman soon arrived and told me VERY WRONGLY that I couldn't take photographs. I assume that I am not the only one who saw it. All the local grey squirrels disappeared over a week or two, very noticeable before I saw the Lynx. They are silent, camouflaged, and well aware of their surroundings. Lynx live in the UK today. Don't ever think that something does not exist because you haven't seen it.

[@MrJohnestall]

Lynx have never been extinct in the Uk , I’ve known people who have seen these cats over the last 30 years . They have been seen in Dorset Dartmoor Essex . I saw one recently in Epping forest so know they exist and are already here along with brown cats probably puma and jet black cats probably leopard . If you haven’t found evidence contact Jonathan McGowan web the natural stuff he’s been researching this subject for years .

[@FeraForus]

Thanks for watching! It's definitely interesting to hear all the accounts from people who have seen one in the UK, but personally I need to see footage to believe they're still here since I've never seen one myself. I do believe they belong here and could co-exist with us in the right circumstances though.

[@MrJohnestall]

Hi they are extremely elusive and that’s an understatement . I’ve got video and photographs of these cats it’s taken 14 years to get this amount working with Jonathan McGowan . But I’m not putting these photos on you tube just yet but you would be welcome to see them . Also friends interested in this subject recently filmed a leopard on thermal image for several minutes .

[@FeraForus]

@@MrJohnestall I would be interested in seeing them when they do go up on youtube (or you're welcome to email them to the email on my channel page)

[@MrJohnestall]

Hi again I was working in film production for a while so all the video and pics are being kept back for a documentary so no chance of sending them out ! But your welcome to view on my computer any time I think you would be surprised at what’s out there . Regards j

[@ianhoare289]

@@MrJohnestall I've seen a puma near my house 5 miles from Lands End.

[@baz_1239]

They are definitely already here, I saw a Lynx in Hertfordshire last October.

[@jancyvargheese5351]

I would love to see photos of lynx if they are still here

[@NaturallyCuriousUK]

Very interesting and informative. I think we maybe do need a top level predator or two in the UK to help balance the ecosystem, but I won't pretend to be any kind of expert on the matter. Good content as always Emily. All the best. Graham.

[@FeraForus]

Thank you for your comment! It's an interesting topic that I love hearing people's views on.

[@tonyyttony]

I got some Lynx in Tesco 99p

[@edwardtreadwell3859]

We already have Lynx in many parts of the UK. They are the third most commonly seen of the larger cats present, behind Black Leopards and Puma/ Mountain Lion.

[@FeraForus]

Thanks for your comment! Unfortunately at the moment the evidence doesn't point to a viable self-supporting wild population of lynx here (although if you know of any sources saying otherwise I would love to read them), but you are right that people frequently report them. Sometimes these are escaped individuals, although often they are later shown to be other animals that were mistaken for lynx.

[@edwardtreadwell3859]

@@FeraForus I don't recall any Lynx cubs being reported, unlike Black Leopard and Puma cubs. That doesn't necessarily mean they are not breeding. My guess is that they do manage to breed. Certainly some animals will be the result of releases over many years. Many trustworthy people have reported Lynx from Cornwall to Kent and Wales to Norfolk.

[@FeraForus]

@@edwardtreadwell3859 Although I don't agree that there's a breeding population here, I love to hear other people's opinions so thank you for engaging with me on the topic. I would certainly be very excited if I were ever proven wrong, because it would be pretty strong evidence that they can live alongside us and so deserve legal protections and an official management programme!

[@edwardtreadwell3859]

@@FeraForus I agree entirely that they need protection of some sort. Personally, the fact that these larger predators are in the UK, and causing little danger to the human population is a good thing. Our Deer population is high, and these larger cats do help keep numbers down. I guess Governments don't want to openly admit they do exist here, in case people start taking pot shots in the countryside, which could be a bigger threat to us!.

[@MrJohnestall]

Your correct they do exist I’ve seen them myself !

[@curleex3838]

Im a keen bushcrafter and ive wild camped in many parts of England and i can definitely confirm they are in our countryside. Ive seen one in person and i know of a few other bushcrafters that have also. You will find it pretty difficult to mis-identify one especially when its only 30ft at most away from you.... The police know about them aswel as one of our keen bushcrafter friends is also a decent and honest copper

[@FeraForus]

That's an interesting experience! I'd love to see if you ever manage to photograph one while you're out camping

[@curleex3838]

@@FeraForus i didn't have chance to get my phone as it took off the second it saw me but after that experience i purchased a game cam and put it in same location but no pics just yet.

[@FeraForus]

@@curleex3838 I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, it would be an interesting thing to be able to photograph

[@leswallace2426]

This was very good, lots of evidence I hadn't been aware of. Thanks.

[@FeraForus]

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@bigteno4597]

Very informative and interesting. Subbbed!!

[@FeraForus]

I'm glad you thought so. It's good to have you here!

[@henrymouland9203]

We still have these cats and more ! Last wee I saw a pumma in the Sussex Surrey Borders. I know these animals where released in the late 60s but obviously they are breeding! I have lived and hunted this area since I was a child! And I saw them 3 times know

[@FeraForus]

Interesting to hear. I'd love to see if you ever manage to photograph one, but until then I'll remain sceptical

[@jancyvargheese5351]

I would love to see photos if there are any lynxes left

[@lecturesfromleeds614]

Some people in the US keep them as pets

[@Kingsaxxy3872]

In my own opinion I think the UK needs this animal back, there’s too many Deer and Boar and from what I know the Highlands could very much support them. Plenty of wilderness for them and I feel like they would attack livestock if given the chance but Farmers could just scare them off using Guard Dogs or put them in barns. Lynx could very much live in Scotland and as for people in the Highlands I think they would be fine since unless they feel threatened usually they don’t attack, children would need to be watched though, a Lynx might not intentionally attack adults but they might attack children seeing them as easy prey. But if people in America or Canada can go camping in the wild with Wolves Grizzly Bears and Cougars then people in Scotland could go and do the same, Lynx are not as dangerous or strong as a Cougar, and usually stay far away from Humans.

[@FeraForus]

Thank you for your comment. I agree with you about lynx not being much of a threat. I actually got up close to a captive lynx today (specifically the species that was once in the UK) and it's surprising just how small they are. Obviously since they can take down deer they shouldn't be underestimated, but they're certainly not in the same category as animals like wolves, bears and cougars! I just need to piece together some of my footage and then that video should be out in the next few weeks (after some of the ones I've already scheduled for upload), so it would be great to see your thoughts after that one too!

[@leswallace2426]

Also worth mentioning the compensation scheme in Norway for losses of livestock to predators is notoriously lax. It's been estimated that lynx kills of sheep have been exaggerated up to nine fold!!!

[@FeraForus]

Yes definitely worth mentioning! There's a lot of nuance beyond what I was able to say in this video. I personally wouldn't mind my taxes going to exaggerated compensation to be able to get these animals back but that's definitely not a view shared by everyone.

[@georgebrown6540]

I really enjoyed your video, I am Scottish and I live just outside Edinburgh, the idea of reintroduction pleases me no end, please push as hard as you can for it and if the eco system can support it any other species that once lived here, thank you for the instructional video. I have subscribed and liked :)

[@FeraForus]

Great to hear that you enjoyed the video and are going to be sticking around! It's always pleasing to hear from people close to potential reintroduction sites, especially when they're in support of the reintroduction :D

[@odoggow8157]

The stupidity of u ppl in here is astounding

[@francisbarlow9904]

There is a local legend called "The man killed the cat and the cat killed the man" in South Yorkshire. It is about a knight who fought a wild cat and finally took refuge in the porch of Barnburgh church, where they both died. I wonder if this refers to a lynx. I suppose it would have been 11th or 12th century and his tomb is in Barnburgh church today. Hope this helps.

[@FeraForus]

That sounds like an interesting tale, I'll have to look into it! I've got a couple of videos on my channel discussing UK folklore and how it's connected to our interactions with nature. It could well be that your local legend is about lynx, or maybe even Scottish wildcats which would have been in Yorkshire at that time too.

[@potentialreality]

I would have never guessed UK had lynxes in recent history. Years ago I was driving the ALCAN Hwy (Alaska to continental U.S..) I pulled over to have lunch and about 20 feet away there was a lynx. Such a beautiful animal!

[@FeraForus]

That sounds amazing! I would love to see a lynx in the wild. The lynx you would have seen in Alaska would have been the Canadian lynx, which is a different species to the Eurasian lynx that once roamed the UK. Canadian lynx are smaller than Eurasian ones and mostly feed on hares, compared to the roe deer that Eurasian lynx prefer. It must have been fascinating seeing one so close to you.

[@potentialreality]

@@FeraForus Yes, I was surprised to hear the descriptions you gave of the Eurasian lynx were so big. The lynx I saw was sort of equally between the size of a bobcat and cougar, or at least the ones I have seen in the western U.S.

[@calummcnab3222]

Jesus woman, tie down those arms. Fantastic channel though.

[@FeraForus]

Thanks for subscribing, it's good to have you here :)

[@dewijones92]

great video

[@FeraForus]

Thanks!

[@andylyon3867]

We have lynx in the USA, thousands of them...you will never know they are there. You could have them already as they are pretty much impossible to wipe out if you had them 300 years ago.

[@FeraForus]

Unfortunately around 300 years ago practically all Eurasian lynx habitat (forest) and prey (roe deer) was destroyed in their UK strongholds so it's pretty accepted that they were wiped out and don't still exist here. Even the few accounts of them from that time are questionable and until recently it was largely believed they were absent for much longer, so the ones (if any) that were still around 300 years ago would have been the last in a small, fragmented population. We're such a small set of islands that there would be fairly conclusive evidence if they were still here (although I'd love to be proven wrong). The habitat and prey in their historical ranges is now back though, so a reintroduction could be possible!

[@ConstantChaos1]

You missed a welsh account of the spotted lion but its in welsh and from i think the 1500s so understandable exclusion or easily missed

[@rungus24]

The letters u and v are often swapped around in older texts, from the standpoint of a modern reader, so the word 'vsed', which you creatively pronounced, is actually just the word 'used', I think. Good video, though.

[@FeraForus]

Good to know, it's interesting how language can change

[@jacobcunningham388]

This was informative and a really important subject, thank you for sharing 🤙🏾 Know much about woodwose?

[@FeraForus]

Thanks for watching, I'm glad you enjoyed it! I have heard of woodwose but not looked much into them. I have a playlist on my channel about how nature has inspired mythological figures and fairy tales in the UK, so I might add the 'wild men of the woods' as a video in this area. I know there are all sorts of theories, from bear sightings to social outcasts or even surviving Neanderthals, but I haven't really explored the topic so can't comment on them much more than that right now!

[@jacobcunningham388]

@@FeraForus Seems like you know more than you think aha and myth to some is very real for others but regardless a very interesting topic regarding our eco system here in the UK. And one I and a team have been exploring. Looking forward to more content 🤙🏾

[@bigcatz74]

Good video One concern would be people walking dogs especially small ones would that be a meal for a lynx

[@FeraForus]

Glad you enjoyed it! That's definitely a concern to take into account, although with how shy lynx are and how much natural prey there is for them I can't imagine it being too much of a problem. A lot of reintroduction is about learning to live differently alongside nature, like keeping small dogs on the lead in forested areas. To be honest with the amount of small dogs I've seen attacking wildlife on walks, this should be something practiced anyway!

[@spencersanderson1894]

Obviously you have heard of the bison project in Kent I think it is, do you know if, when this trial ends that they will be introduced into the countryside?

[@FeraForus]

I'm not sure what the plans are after the trial ends, but I think we're a while away from completely free roaming bison in the UK. Most of our land is broken up by urban areas that wouldn't be suitable for bison, so if the project expands I expect it will be in specific remote locations with some sort of managed breeding project in place

[@lunarguitarman]

I suspect there COULD be lynx here. They are so difficult to track though, even in deep Canadian snow

[@FeraForus]

It's amazing how large animals can be so good at blending in with their habitats

[@lunarguitarman]

@@FeraForus I've tracked big cats all over the world and only ever seen one in the wild and I wasn't even looking for it! The irony

[@FeraForus]

@@lunarguitarman I can believe that! Which species did you manage to see? I've been metres away from cheetah in open desert before and it takes way longer than you realise to actually see them there

[@lunarguitarman]

@@FeraForus It was a leopard near Darjeeling, India. Ran down the hillside and across the road at about 10pm! At first I thought it looked like a Caracal, but I realised afterwards that it was far too large.

[@FeraForus]

@@lunarguitarman That's amazing! I've seen lots of carnivores in the wild but never a leopard. I've had one leaving tracks outside my tent before though, so I'm kind of glad that I didn't come face to face with that one!

[@anautisticswede6748]

None of your arguments were new to me. I both live and hunt in a part of sweden that is heavily forestet and relatively dens in human population at the samd time. Here we have far too many roe deers and hares and quite a few fallow deer. Yet most pepole I know who have seen them have done so when they attacked pets or livestock. First thing you need to know is that hunting with dogs here is very different too the snimal abuse mess you have in sweden wich puts hunting and guard dogs in risk of lynx attacks. I know I family that had their fox and hare hunting dog mauled to an inch of it's life by a lynx and one family who had their moose hunting dog have the same happen to it. I know pepole who have lost sheep. Last but not least I know of a family who had the German shepherd they relied on to keep humans with bad intentions away sent to the vet badly injured by a lynx. And as burglariesand home invasions combined with super long arriwal times for police is a growing problem I dont see how we will keep the Lynx around for very long.

[@FeraForus]

Thanks for your comment, it's interesting to hear a perspective from another country.

[@mikeperkin4316]

We can't have lynx in the UK coz the Leopards and Puma would attack them !

[@markaxworthy2508]

Less hands, please. They are distracting from an interesting piece.