Plans to reintroduce the Eurasian lynx in Scotland will move a step closer in the next few weeks when campaigners hold a public meeting.
Lynx UK Trust claims it has found considerable support from landowners to release the wild cats in Agryllshire and Inverness-shire, and the Trust now wants public opinion.
It follows news of seven sheep allegedly killed by an escaped lynx in the Welsh countryside, which garnered considerable debate on the issue of lynx reintroduction in the UK.
The animal, which escaped from Borth Zoo, Aberystwyth almost two weeks ago, apparently killed seven sheep whist it was in the wild for several days. It was eventually shot dead after the local council gave permission due to public safety fears.
The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) said the authorities reacted "appropriately" due to the threat the animal poses to livestock.
However, Lynx UK Trust said there is "absolutely no conclusive evidence" that the sheep were killed by a lynx, and was likely to be killed by a dog instead.
Now, according to Lynx UK Trust chief scientific advisor Dr Paul O’Donoghue, there are plans to reintroduce the lynx to the Scottish Highlands.
The Trust has already submitted its first application for lynx reintroduction for the Kielder Forest area in Northumberland. Natural England are now deciding whether to carry out the plans.
Indeed, the Trust believes the lynx is a native species that belongs in the UK, having been hunted to extinction around 500-700AD.
The Trust believes reintroduction is vital in re-storing a natural balance in the British countryside.
However, the possibility of a re-introduction has made some in the farming industry worried, particularly the sheep sector.
