Wolves, bears and lynx are among the species that would have once roamed the UK’s countryside in significant numbers, before being forced out through culls and over hunting by an ever growing human population.
But experts now believe that, by reintroducing some of these species, we can benefit not just from the opportunity to see these animals in the wild, but also from the ecological and environmental impact they could have.
Here’s a list of some of the species that conservation groups want to see reintroduced to the UK.
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Beavers, bears, wolves and lynx: Campaigners want to see these animals reintroduced to the British countryside (Photo: Shutterstock) Photo: (Photo: Shutterstock)
. Beaver
Successful reintroduction efforts mean there are now almost 1,000 beavers living wild in UK streams and rivers, after disappearing more than 400 years ago. Photo: (Photo: Shutterstock)
. White-tailed eagle
Tentative efforts to re-establish a population of white-tailed eagles - or sea eagles as they are often called - in the UK mean there is now a small but growing population of these giant birds of prey on the Isle of Wight, and southern England. Photo: (Photo: Shutterstock)
1. Beaver
Successful reintroduction efforts mean there are now almost 1,000 beavers living wild in UK streams and rivers, after disappearing more than 400 years ago. Photo: (Photo: Shutterstock)
2. White-tailed eagle
Tentative efforts to re-establish a population of white-tailed eagles - or sea eagles as they are often called - in the UK mean there is now a small but growing population of these giant birds of prey on the Isle of Wight, and southern England. Photo: (Photo: Shutterstock)
3. Wolf
Though the idea of wolves roaming around our national parks might be an intimidating one, in reality the trouble they’ve caused in other countries where they’ve been successfully reintroduced has been limited. Photo: (Photo: Shutterstock)
4. Wild boar
Programmes to reintroduce wild boar into UK countryside have been relatively successful in recent years, much to the joy of rewilding advocates, who say that the boars’ favourite pastimes of grubbing the floors of woodland and breaking up bracken are invaluable for biodiversity. Photo: (Photo: Shutterstock)