NFU Scotland remains crystal clear that any proposals to re-introduce predators such as lynx, wolves or bears are wholly unacceptable to Scottish farmers and crofters.

This was the message as a parliamentary reception in Holyrood took place this week, looking at rewilding groups' proposals to reintroduce lynx to Scotland.

NFUS president, Martin Kennedy said: “The past few years have seen a long line of brazen and presumptuous claims from organisations about the imminent reintroduction of predators to the UK, causing considerable angst and anxiety to those who keep livestock in Scotland. The only application in the UK to date, to reintroduce lynx to Kielder in the North of England, was rejected by the UK Government.

“Feverish press coverage of previous proposals to reintroduce lynx saw a welcome commitment in public from Fergus Ewing MSP, when he was Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy, that he would never support such a reintroduction. We fully expect the current Scottish Government to stand by that pledge.

"Two months ago, Secretary of State for the Environment Therese Coffey gave categorical assurances to English farmers that the UK Government would not support the reintroduction of predators. Scottish farmers and crofters deserve similar assurances."

Highlands and Islands MSP Ariane Burgess hosted the event at at Holyrood, in partnership with the Lynx to Scotland coalition, where MSPs heard proposals to bring lynx back to Scotland as part of a ‘wildlife comeback’.

Greens MSP Ms Burgess said: "David Attenborough’s Wild Isles broadcast an unavoidable message: the UK’s nature is in trouble, but we can still save it if we act now. One key way to help nature is by reintroducing lynx, an apex predator that does not threaten humans but helps restore functioning ecosystems.

"Across mainland Europe, lynx are staging a comeback. Is Scotland going to sit back and miss out on the benefits that lynx can bring?"

NFUS are calling on the Scottish Government to make a clear statement rejecting such proposals permanently.

Mr Kennedy continued: “Despite the media speculation, we remind our members that nothing as yet equates to an application for release in Scotland. Were that to ever happen, the process for securing permission for the trial release of any predator is long and complex and any application will be subject to considerable analysis and debate.

“In our opinion, despite numerous attempts, no local consensus nor political consensus has ever been secured for such a release. Farmers and crofters in Scotland can be confident that the Union, as a member of the Scottish National Species Reintroduction Forum, will take all necessary steps to ensure their interests are protected were a formal application ever to be made."

“Those reaping any benefit from these species’ reintroductions are rarely the ones bearing any of the costs or negative impacts. It is vital that all the impacts are considered, costed and support is made available to those carrying the costs both during any possible pilot study but crucially beyond. When the researchers/environmentalists have patted themselves on the back and packed up at the end of the pilot they leave farmers and crofters dealing with the impacts in perpetuity,” he concluded