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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 26th July 2016
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Preferred locations for lynx reintroduction announced
The local consultation is expected to last two to three months.

Proposal moving to Kielder Forest and Borders area

Northumberland and the Scottish Borders have been announced as the ‘preferred’ locations for a trial reintroduction of Lynx to the British Isles.

The Lynx UK Trust are currently engaged in research to identify potential release sites, as well as carrying out consultations on the reintroduction of these cats to the UK.

On Monday (25 July), the organisation revealed that the proposal for the reintroduction was moving to the Kielder Forest and Borders area. Consultations will now begin in the region with stakeholders organisations and the local community.

Lynx UK Trust believe that the area is an ideal candidate for the reintroduction efforts because of its limited road networks and low human population density. It is also the largest area of continuous forest largely contained from sheep farming.

The local consultation is expected to last a few months, after which the Trust will apply to Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage for a licence.

"This is by no means a final decision or a foregone conclusion,” said Dr Paul O'Donoghue, Chief Scientific Advisor for the Trust. “We're very interested in what everyone in this region has to say about the idea. They could be living and working alongside the lynx in the near future, which really is an unprecedented opportunity in the history of UK wildlife reintroductions.”

The Eurasian Lynx has been extinct in the UK for over 1,300 years, but the Lynx UK Trust believes it will help control deer populations and reduce damage to forests. Opponents, however, fear that the reintroduction could pose a threat to British livestock.

In a statement, Phil Stocker, NSA chief executive said: “We are dismayed that Lynx UK Trust is still pursuing plans to release lynx, as we do not share their belief that the UK has any suitable locations. We are too small an island and too densely populated.”

NSA’s concerns about the reintroduction were recently detailed in a report on The wider consequences of the introduction of Eurasian lynx to the UK.

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Defra shares new Sanitary and Phytosanitary guidance

News Story 1
 Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.

The agreement, which will change the movement and trade of animals and related products, could see reductions in checks, paperwork and certification. As well as describing regulatory developments, the advice highlights the importance of animal ID, registration and traceability in disease control and other compliance arrangements.

The guidance can be found here. More detail is expected as negotiations progress. 

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News Shorts
New form for online veterinary medicines retailers

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has produced a new online form for retailers wishing to sell veterinary medicines on the internet.

The form replace the previous Word version and is part of the VMD's ongoing commitment to digitise its processes. Anyone retailing prescription medicines online, including POM-V, POM-VPS and NFA-VPS categories, is lawfully required to register with the VMD before trading.

The change only applies to new applicants. Retailers already listed on the VMD's Register of Online Retailers or registered under the Accredited Internet Retailer Scheme (AIRS) do not need to do anything.