Reintroducing top predators to the wild is risky but necessary—here's how we can ensure they survive
Large carnivores are critical to the balance of an ecosystem. In Yellowstone National Park in the western US, gray wolves keep elk populations at a healthy level. This prevents vegetation from being overgrazed and leads to ...
But habitat loss and persecution have eliminated many large carnivores from their historical environment. The Eurasian lynx could be found in the UK over a thousand years ago and wolves roamed the country until the mid-18th century.
However, our attitudes towards these animals are gradually changing and large carnivores are now viewed by many as the victims of human expansion. Many areas are seeing these animals return as a result. Yellowstone's gray wolves were reintroduced in 1995 after 70 years, and in 2020, voters approved the species' reintroduction to the state of Colorado.
Like these wolves, many other species require human intervention to reach their former habitats. But this is costly, controversial and often ends in failure. The relocation of a single animal can cost thousands and once released, these animals can prey on local livestock.
Collared leopard being released into North Ossetia, Russia in 2022. Credit: Pavel Padalko, CC BY-NC-ND