Scientists say wolves, bears and lynxes must be reintroduced to Europe

By Stephen Beech via SWNS

Wild animals including wolves, bears and lynxes should be reintroduced to much of Europe - including large swathes of Scotland and Ireland, according to a new report.

Abandoned farmlands would find new life through "rewilding" - a movement to restore "ravaged" landscapes to their wilderness before human intervention, say scientists.

And they want the radical policy to begin sooner rather than later.

Nearly a quarter of Europe's landscape, 117 million hectares, is "primed" with rewilding opportunities, according to the study published in the journal Current Biology.

The research team provides a "roadmap" for countries to meet the 2030 European Biodiversity Strategy's goals to protect 30% of land, with 10% of those areas strictly under conservation.

They say that 70% of the rewilding opportunities in Europe lie in colder climates.

Northern Europe - particularly Scotland, Scandinavia and the Baltic states - as well as several highland regions in the Iberian Peninsula show the "greatest" potential, according to the report.

First author Professor Miguel Araújo, of the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Spain, said: "There are many areas in Europe that have a low enough human footprint, as well as the presence of key animal species, to potentially be rewilded.

"We also highlight the need for different strategies depending on the conditions of each region."

The research team established criteria to determine areas with rewilding potentials: extensive tracts of land, covering more than 10,000 hectares, with little human disturbance that feature vital species.

Based on the size of the land and the types of animals that inhabit the area, they further identified two strategies for rewilding - passive and active.

Passive rewilding relies on natural recolonization, where animals gradually move back into abandoned areas on their own.

Scientists say the approach works best in regions with a healthy population of key herbivores - such as deer, ibex, moose, and rabbits, as well as carnivores, such as wolves, bears, and lynxes.

Once resident in Scotland, the lynx is thought to have become extinct in the UK around 1,300 years ago, while The Eurasian Brown Bear became extinct in the UK around 1000AD.

The research team says regions without key herbivore or carnivore species would require active rewilding by reintroducing the missing species to kickstart the ecosystem's recovery.

Both strategies aim to create a self-sustaining, biodiverse landscape, according to the team.

Araújo said: "I often refer to herbivores as the ecosystem engineers as they graze and shape the vegetation, while predators would be the architects creating 'fear landscapes' that herbivores avoid.

"The interaction between herbivores and carnivores creates mosaic patterns in the landscapes, essential for biodiversity."

He says some countries, including the UK, France, Spain, and Scandinavian nations, are positioned to reach their conservation goals if they adopt the study's suggested rewilding zones and strategies.

However, given that Europe is densely populated with humans, other countries - including Ireland, Italy, Belgium and Denmark - wouldn't meet their conservation aims if they relied solely on the study's recommendations.

The researcher says that highlights the need for "alternative" conservation approaches.

Araújo said: "Conservation strategies involving ecological restoration of densely populated areas could help some countries reach conservation goals.

"Countries could reclaim land to turn it into conservation areas or establish networks of small, protected habitats.

"Traditional multi-use landscapes, like the oak parklands in the Iberian Peninsula and various extensive agricultural and forestry systems across Europe, could also help if managed sustainably."

The research team hope their findings and framework will help efforts to acquire or manage areas with the greatest potential for successful rewilding.

But they say time is of the essence.

Araújo said: "We're racing against time."

He added: "The areas that look most promising for rewilding today may not be the same in 50 years due to the impacts of climate change."