Hunting small animals like roe deer is the speciality of Eurasian lynx, a forest animal. For hundreds of years, the Eurasian lynx was no longer found in Britain, and by the mid-1900s, it had also vanished from much of Europe. According to the most recent radiocarbon dating of lynx bones, they were still present in northern Britain around 1,500 years ago. Although lynx presence is "hard evidence" based on bone dating, written material, including novels and ballads, mentions lynx in the British environment up to the 17th century. A lynx reintroduction may be possible when the lynx reemerges in areas of Europe and appropriate habitat is found in Britain.
Similar to the wolves, Lynx went extinct due to excessive hunting and habitat loss around 1300 years ago. Interestingly though, there are slightly later cultural records, including an apparent mention in the medieval Welsh poem Y Gododdin, and a carving on a 9th century stone cross on the Isle of Eigg.
The greatest option for bringing a large predator back to Britain is the Eurasian lynx. We hope this indigenous animal makes a comeback. The rewilding organisations Trees for Life, SCOTLAND: The Big Picture and The Lifescape initiative, and The Lifescape Project's The Missing Lynx Project are spearheading the Lynx to Scotland initiative, which is why we are sponsoring it. By lessening the negative effects of deer browsing on woods, lynx reintroduction would support the restoration of natural processes and ecosystems while also generating income for nearby towns.