SIR, – It is probably a bit self indulgent and ‘preaching to the converted’, but writing to The Scottish Farmer is at least one media outlet that is actually listening to the professionals who really know and fear the consequences of this misguided ‘Garden of Eden’ inspired policy of ‘rewilding’ the countryside.

Though Dr O’ Donoghue may have some scientific credentials, he is no more blessed (or cursed) with genuine clairvoyance than anybody else. It is ironic that he dubbed the lynx he proposes to release in Keilder Forest as ‘professionals’ as he is most likely one himself, in that I would imagine his ‘services’ to the Lynx Trust will not come free?.

Despite a well-funded fantasist campaign about the alleged benefits of ‘rewilding’, it has no proper scientifically-proven basis. Parachuting in an individual charismatic species into an environment is a gamble with unknown consequences. It is pure illusion to think that by doing so you are actually improving the environment.

To make that judgement you would have to know what a good ‘environment’ actually is and not just for the present, but for what climatic and biological challenges will come in the following decades, centuries and millennia. It is mathematically impossible to accurately forecast the weather much more than about a week ahead, yet Dr O’Donoghue and his collaborators are confident of forecasting the precise values and interactions of hundreds of variables, years ahead and persuading people that they are doing something to alleviate their guilt some feel for the impacts of humanity’s success. We should not have our future lives and livelihoods dictated by the money of dead people.

People seem blind to their own hypocrisy when they are appalled at the thought of a fox being killed in seconds by foxhounds, yet watch enraptured when predators kill their prey in wildlife documentaries on TV. Arguments about bullet-wounded foxes often suffering more, just pass them by.

I may be going soft in my old age, but programmes where most of the content is people falling unexpectedly, or through their own foolishness, leave me cold. When I do watch I often feel ‘that’s got to hurt’ and am not swayed by the canned laughter that is provided to help you think it should be funny. The clips usually stop before you are allowed to see the pain and anguish in the victim.

Shouldn’t decent people be able to figure that out for themselves?

Sandy Henderson

Faulds Farm, Braco, Dunblane.