Talk of reintroducing lynx

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Stupid idea! Cumbria is one of the last bastions of the White Clawed Crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) and funding for a conservation scheme was recently DECLINED. The crayfish is a native species critically endangered worldwide... no funding. Lynx, conservation status "least concern" and there's funding for a reintroduction of a locally extinct species? Madness, absolute madness.

That's incredible! Once they are gone then their genetic stock is gone forever - which could be sooner than we think.
 

Goatboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
14,956
17
Scotland
Unfortunately as the crayfish isn't as "cuddly" looking as a linx it doesn't get as much coverage. Organisations like WWF always get more donations for running advertisements on tiger and pandas than frogs, reptiles and insects.
 

Stevie777

Native
Jun 28, 2014
1,443
1
Strathclyde, Scotland
Everything that you would need to to have enough wilderness area in the uk to support the release of big cats
Thought you meant them Evil Hoodies..:lol:

There has been reports of Big Cats here since the 60's...True,? False?..Who knows,? but i'm sure a couple of Linx in the Remote Highlands would survive well enough. They introduced Wild Boar up there a while back and they are thriving.
 
Aug 4, 2013
866
3
Berkshire
Quote Originally Posted by Adze View Post
Stupid idea! Cumbria is one of the last bastions of the White Clawed Crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) and funding for a conservation scheme was recently DECLINED. The crayfish is a native species critically endangered worldwide... no funding. Lynx, conservation status "least concern" and there's funding for a reintroduction of a locally extinct species? Madness, absolute madness.
That's incredible! Once they are gone then their genetic stock is gone forever - which could be sooner than we thin

You should read Where Do Camels Belong by Ken Thompson. The White Clawed Crayfish in England has a limited genetic base compared to those in France, which is one of the pointers to it being an introduced species (around 1500 if memory serves). I think it was introduced into Scotland within the last 150 years (again relying on memory).

I was very excited to hear that Linx were coming back, but then I thought "You're Lying"
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida

Adze

Native
Oct 9, 2009
1,874
0
Cumbria
www.adamhughes.net
Likely the owner of the labrador has taken it home, everything is tricky to identify when it's not there.

From the above linked article the proportions are way out for a leopard/jaguar/puma. Also, leopard prefer to climb down a tree forwards, domestic cats though... Far from conclusive, obviously.
 

Goatboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
14,956
17
Scotland
Likely the owner of the labrador has taken it home, everything is tricky to identify when it's not there.

From the above linked article the proportions are way out for a leopard/jaguar/puma. Also, leopard prefer to climb down a tree forwards, domestic cats though... Far from conclusive, obviously.
Yes wasn't the "big cat" named Fenton and filmed chasing deer in a park? ;-)
 

boatman

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 20, 2007
2,444
4
77
Cornwall
Release lynx into the wild?We don't even allow people into the wild in England. at least to to do the natural thing and sleep there. And many on this board think that a good thing!
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
It is a biological fact that carnivorous predators expend far more energy in living and hunting than do the herbivores.
Any sensible consideration of reintroduction must be predicated on a useful assessment of prey population densities.
Hunting in the dump is clearly a behaviour of practical advantage = high prey population. Never turn down an easy lunch.

Here, mice and voles represent a substantial resource. I've been able to watch both coyotes and wolves jump on them.
With a Nikon Prostaff 82mm spotting scope, I'd judge their success rate along fence lines in mountain pastures at about 1 kill/minute.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
If you take a look at this page, click on the image for more pix of those different kinds of cats that we have.
Some are BIG. BTW, on the the home page, you can see a real dorky looking guy in a ghillie jacket with a Merriam's wild turkey.
One is a turkey (25lbs), the other one is me. You be the judge.

http://www.kettleriverguides.com/
 

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