The Lynx UK trust has submitted plans to reintroduce six wild cats to the Kielder Forest in Northumberland Slavek Ruta/Rex FeaturesThe reintroduction of species to the UK which were driven to extinction by hunting and persecution hundreds of years ago – or the changes in climate thousands of years ago – has become a contentious issue. Many environmentalists champion the idea of returning animals to the British countryside to help restore biodiversity to areas where species such as deer cause overgrazing. Compensation schemes have been proposed to pay farmers and landowners for any animals killed, but there is strong opposition from some who fear the damage returned predators could wreak on their livestock. LYNXEurasian Lynx disappeared from Britain around 1,000 years ago due to hunting and loss of habitat. Plans have been submitted to Natural England by the Lynx UK Trust to reintroduce six of…

Source: The Times July 19, 2017 00:00 UTC