Reintroducing Wild Wolves in the Scottish Highlands

Reintroducing wild wolves to the Scottish Highlands could have a positive impact on local conservation, says new research published today. The study suggests that the return of wolves, which were eradicated from the Scottish landscape in 1769, would benefit the local economy and could aid efforts to reforest the highlands and increase bird biodiversity in the region.

The primary benefit of reintroducing wolves, say researchers, would be controlling the population of red deer, which would be their main wild prey in the Highlands. There is currently a large population of red deer in the region – close to the maximum capacity that the ecosystem can support - and their numbers have considerable negative economic and ecological impacts on the region.

Read more on The Imperial College Website