If you are reading this, a massive thank you for supporting the most exciting conservation project in the United Kingdom!

Welcome to the inaugural edition of our newsletter, where we will bring you updates on our project and share content relating to our ongoing work to bring back this keystone species. The last few weeks have been very busy, so here's a quick recap:
 

• We have hit 10,000 on the petition advocating for a Eurasian lynx reintroduction!
• We held the first ever lynx consultation in Scotland in the community where we are hoping to release lynx.
• Our paper looking at lynx habitat suitability for the whole of the UK is currently in the process of being completed and published in a scientific journal.
• Our Director and Chief Scientific Advisor is working with a small team on academic research for the Leipzig Institute looking at genome sequencing for Eurasian lynx using ancient lynx DNA recovered from British caves. This research will be published in a scientific journal when completed and will be invaluable for future population control.
• The final version of the habitat risk assessment for Kielder forest is nearing completion by our ecology team and will be included in our license application.

On top of this, over the past 12 months we have:

• Met with Scottish National Heritage to discuss our plans.

• Performed extensive habitat surveys in Northern England and Scotland.

• Identified and announced a planned Scottish release site.

• Launched our Sponsor a Lynx packages.

• Launched the new lynxuk.org website.

The Lynx UK Trust has been pursuing our mission of reintroducing the Eurasian lynx to the UK for quite some time now. As most of you are probably aware, our initial license application was turned down by then Environment Secretary Michael Gove. This did not diminish our ambition - in fact it stoked the fire. The currently successful beaver reintroduction required 3 license applications before it was approved, so this result was not totally unexpected.
 

In the time since then, our team has been working towards our second license application, drawing upon further expertise from the conservation, ecology and legal worlds. In the last 6 months, the pace of things has escalated significantly - we are now drawing close to our updated license application. 

We continue to ramp up our activity educating people about lynx and about the benefits that a reintroduction would bring, and dispelling fears founded on falsities.

The Eurasian lynx is a native keystone species which would begin to bring balance back to our damaged ecosystems, creating richer forest habitats and benefiting every species which inhabit said ecosystems. Richer ecosystems mean increased biodiversity, creating a stronger and more resilient natural landscape.

Thank you again for supporting our project -  you’ll be hearing from us soon! And for real time updates on our project, follow us on our various social media platforms by clicking the icons below.

The Lynx UK Trust Team