SHEEP industry leaders are urging Natural England and a Defra minister to oppose reintroducing lynx into Britain.

The National Sheep Association (NSA) bringing the wild cat back after more than 1,300 years of extinction would 'pose a real threat to British livestock'.

Chief executive Phil Stocker said even trial work with lynx would lead to predation of livestock, in particular, ewes and lambs.

He has written to James Cross, head at Natural England, and Lord De Mauley, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Defra, to express industry fears.

“Our primary concern is that the lynx will threaten livelihoods and businesses within the farming industry," said Mr Stocker. "Ewes and lambs would be much easier prey than deer because they can’t get away so quickly."

Sheep farming members have expressed concern to NSA since the conservation charity, the Lynx UK Trust, announced plans to submit an official application to Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage to reintroduce lynx into Cumbria, Aberdeenshire and Suffolk.

Grizedale and Ennerdale have been suggested as suitable places for reintroduction in Cumbria and the prospect has alarmed Lakes sheep farmers.

David Arnold, who runs Keen Ground Farm, Hawkshead, said: "I would be very worried if lynx came back. We have enough problems with attacks on sheep and lambs as it is, from dogs, foxes and badgers."

Natural England has assured the NSA that 'if and when' it receives an application from the Lynx UK Trust, it will consult ‘all relevant parties’ and consider the socio-economic impacts of the reintroduction, as well as impacts on the environment and the animals themselves.

“This is vitally important, as the project will disrupt vulnerable ecosystems and challenge the viability of sheep farms," said Mr Stocker. "This will, in turn, have a damaging impact on farmers’ livelihoods and businesses if the lynx prey on sheep.”

He said the charity had not considered the long-term implications of the project.

“It’s all very well to talk about the release of six or eight lynx, but how do you control them in the years to come when numbers get to a point where they threaten sheep in the area?

“The Lynx UK Trust is going to try to soften the blow by talking about a five-year project, but I think putting a stop to it after five years will be very difficult.

“I understand people’s interest in reintroducing extinct predators back into the countryside, however, we have to be practical and realistic, and look at how things have changed in the last 1,300 years.”