Really
My point is there is nowehere near the clamour for these vs the outrage at the Big Game Hunting in Africa and \ or the preservation of the wildlife there. Lynx is hardly the same as Wolves or Bears in terms of perceived threat to humans.
Don't get me wrong, I'm personally all for these things, but can't see truly wild Wolves or Bears etc back in the UK, there will be too much resistance and not enough push for it.
I suppose we have some beavers now though...
The Yellowstone Wolves re-introduction was interesting in terms of what happened - the different vegetation around the river of the deer etc did not hang around as much, populations kept more under control.
We also have wild boars in at least two areas of the country, and, allegedly, feral "big cats" all over the place. There are also non native deer in certain places.
The White Tailed Sea Eagle was reintroduced, as was the trial of the Beaver in Knapdale in Argyll. There is also a wild population of beaver on the River Tay, and, I believe, one down south somewhre. The Red Kite has also been succesfully reintroduced, namely, Galloway and parts of North Wales.
Why do we have urban foxes? Because we've destroyed or diminished their natural habitat.
Wild animals (and I refer to mammals, not amphibians or reptiles), especially carnivorous ones, are naturally wary of people (can't think why), except when protecting their young, and their habitat, with the possible exception, perhaps, of the Polar Bear (the largest land predator on Earth), but not as efficient as us, and we're taking away its habitat anyway.
What ingenious ways have our "intelligent" species come up with to co-exist with wildlife?
Badger Baitting.
Hare Coursing.
Fox Hunting.
Otter Hunting.
Dog Fighting.
Cock Fighting.
Bull fighting.
"Scientific" whale hunting. (another mammal).
Shark Finning (put them back alive to drown after the fins have been removed).
Bear bile extraction.
Miraculuous healing from Elephant/Rhino tusks (Stun the animal, remove the tusks with a chainsaw, and leave it to bleed to death when it recovers from the anaesthetic).
Dog beating (prior to death) as the pain induced "adrenalin" makes the meat more tender, and is considered an aphrodisiac (Korea, Vietnam, The Phillipines).
The Faroe annual whale (mammal) slaughter.
Catch fish too small because of Government (EU) made regulations, and throw them back in the sea - dead.
Cosmetic/Medical experiments.
And "Big Game" hunting.
Etc.
And don't be too certain about non-reintroduction, that's if the human population leaves room and habitat, or doesn't destroy the Earth first:
http://www.rewildingbritain.org.uk/
The dinosaurs lasted for how many million years? I don't know, but we wont, hopefully.
And, no, I'm not a "tree hugger". I fish for salmon and trout, and sometimes, sea fish; I eat what I catch. If they're too small, they go back alive, to breed, and to grow bigger. I own two English Mastiffs, and neither would touch a cat or a rabbit (another non indgenous species). Because they're soft
Unless someone attacks me.
)
