Uni of Leeds says reintroducing wolves into Scotland could help tackle climate change

Research at the University of Leeds is exploring the potential impact of reintroducing wolves in areas of Scotland to help tackle climate change.

This is the first time the reintroduction of wolves has been suggested in the UK.

According to the University of Leeds researchers, the red deer population is growing. This population feasts on tree samplings, preventing the natural regrowth of trees and woodlands. Despite the use of some deer management methods, the population of red deer has continued to expand.

They theorise that the reintroduction of wolves could be the solution.

They used a predator-prey model to estimate the impact wolves could have in the Cairngorms, South-West Highlands, Central Highlands and North-west Highlands. With this model, they found that 167 wolves would be enough to control the growth of red deer populations, leading to trees regenerating naturally.

This could lead to an increase in native woodland which could reduce up to one million tonnes of CO2 annually. The UK’s Climate Change Committee advise that Scotland should reach net-zero by 2045.

For 250 years, there have been no wild wolves in Scotland. This allowed for the red deer population to grow. The latest estimates show that there are around 400,000 red deer.

The lack of tree growth has led to the decline of native woodland in Scotland, with numbers as low as four per cent.

The report, published in the journal Ecological Solutions and Evidence, found other practical implications in addition to climate benefits. This includes how it could be profitable for landowners and local communities through carbon finance.

Most Read

This video of Lacey from MAFS and her mum at the club has leaked and I don’t know how to feel

Erm, so Lauren’s ex made his own Love Is Blind headshot and it’s all really bizarre

The Apprentice’s Jonny Heaver opens up about birth mark that’s made him so much ‘stronger’

Lead author Dominick Spracklen, a professor at the school of earth and environment, said: “There is an increasing acknowledgement that the climate and biodiversity crises cannot be managed in isolation.” He added how the reintroduction of species could have ”co-benefits for climate and nature recovery.”

Scotland would not be the first country to reintroduce Wolves. In 2019, wolves returned to the Netherlands after a 140 year absence.

The researchers acknowledge that there would be some pushback if wolves are reintroduced, but they believe the benefits outweigh the detriments.

The financial benefits from carbon uptake and storage would be in addition to the widely recognised economic and ecological advantages of wolf reintroduction.

This includes the boosting of ecotourism, decreasing deer-related road traffic accidents, reducing Lyme disease linked to deer and lowering the expenses of deer culls.

Featured image via Pixabay