The UK nature crisis

The UK’s wildlife is continuing to decline according to the landmark study, State of Nature 2023 - report on the UK’s current biodiversity. Already classified as one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries, nearly one in six of the more than ten thousand species assessed (16%) are at risk of being lost from Great Britain.

However, this figure is much higher for some groups such as birds (43%), amphibians and reptiles (31%), and terrestrial mammals (26%). Much loved species such as turtle dove, hazel dormouse, lady’s slipper orchid and European eel now face an uncertain future. There have also been declines in the distributions of 54% of our flowering plant species such as heather and harebell.

The list of extinct British wildlife is long and includes the great auk, large copper butterfly, lynx and tree frog – see Extinct British wildlife | The Wildlife Trusts. Many species are now increasingly vulnerable, such as hedgehog and curlew, or are in danger of disappearing. Most of the important habitats for the UK’s nature are in poor condition, but restoration projects have clear benefits for nature and people, as well as for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

We need healthy ecosystems for our clean water, fresh air and food security. Bringing lost species back and rebuilding our ecosystems is a vital part of tackling this nature crisis, and bringing back lynx could be part of this solution.

Lynx - background

The lynx is an elusive and solitary cat that lives in forests across mainland Europe and there is evidence of them living in Britain until medieval times. They are roughly the height of a Labrador dog but weigh less, have tufted ears, a spotted brown and white coat and golden eyes. They keep their distance from humans – and it’s hard to see them because they like the cover that woodland provides. They prey on mainly roe deer, but also smaller mammals such as rabbits and even foxes. Lynx are mainly active at dawn and dusk – they tend to sleep during the day. 

Lynx - in our forests

For the many thousands of years that we did have lynx in Britain they were a critical part of our ecosystems. But now all of our top carnivores are missing. Eurasian lynx eat mostly deer but can also eat medium-sized carnivores such as foxes and small animals such as rabbits. Their presence in our ecosystems regulated other animals and had trickle down benefits such as forest regeneration or providing carcasses for a wide range of animals, birds and insects.

Lynx - conservation efforts abroad

There are four species of lynx in the world; two are found in north America and two across Eurasia. The Eurasian lynx is one of two lynx species in Europe and has made a successful comeback since the 1970s thanks to conservation efforts, community support, habitat protection and reintroductions in countries such as Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy and Slovenia. This followed decades of hunting and habitat loss, which caused their numbers to plummet to their lowest ever in the mid-20^th century. The slightly smaller Iberian lynx is found in Portugal and Spain, where breeding programmes have also seen numbers return, saving this species from extinction.

Lynx viability in northern England and southern Scotland

We now know that lynx could grow into a healthy population from a release in Northumberland. Working with experts across Europe, The Lifescape Project used data from European lynx populations in computer models to test the viability of growth and survival of a population. The forests of northern England and southern Scotland form a habitat patch where a healthy lynx population could develop. This habitat patch was the only suitable area of England & Wales for lynx.

The Lifescape Project

The Lifescape Project works toward a world rich in wild landscapes, providing a sustainable future for life on earth. As a registered charity, our multidisciplinary team works on projects globally which catalyse the creation, restoration and protection of wild landscapes. Those projects bring together team members with backgrounds in science, technology, law, economics, and culture, to have the greatest possible chance of succeeding for the benefit of both people and nature. www.lifescapeproject.org

Northumberland Wildlife Trust

Northumberland Wildlife Trust is the largest environmental charity in the region working to safeguard native wildlife. One of 46 Wildlife Trusts across the UK, Northumberland Wildlife Trust has campaigned for nature conservation for over 53 years. It aims to inform, educate and involve people of all ages and backgrounds in protecting their environment in favour of wildlife and conservation. Supported by over 12,000 individual and 40 corporate members in the region, Northumberland Wildlife Trust manages and protects critical species and habitats at over 60 nature reserves throughout Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland. www.nwt.org.uk

About Great North Museum: Hancock
The Great North Museum: Hancock is managed by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums on behalf of Newcastle University.

The Museum brings together the North East’s premier collections of archaeology, natural history, geology and world cultures under one roof. It incorporates collections from the original Hancock Museum, Newcastle University’s former Museum of Antiquities and the Shefton Museum.

The Great North Museum: Hancock is a partnership between Newcastle University, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, the Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN) and the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne (SANT).

Great North Museum: Hancock
Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4PT
www.greatnorthmuseum.org.uk
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