Why Biologists Believe Rewilding Wolves Will Help Scotland's Biodiversity

Image source: Josh Felise at Unsplash

By Olivia Docherty

Wolves went extinct in Scotland during the 1700s, but many naturalists believe rewilding this keystone species will be the most effective way to increase biodiversity. Wolves are described as a keystone species because they have many different effects on the ecosystem.

By having wolves reintroduced, it will keeping the red deer population at a steady number by having a natural predator there. By keeping red deer moving, they would not over-graze fragile tree seedlings and this will also reduce the loss of crops.

However, people who live in the Scottish Highlands, which is where the wolves will be reintroduced, are concerned about wolves living near their communities. Perceived as dangerous, many people have demonised wolves, but in actual fact, they are timid animals and are a low risk to the safety of people.

Experts believe the best way to bring back grey wolves to the Scottish Highlands is to create fenced off reserves for the wolves to prey on red deer, whose population is out of control. This has resulted in over-grazing which has ruined one-third of the native woodlands in the Highlands. Many believe rewilding wolves, while also helping the look of the landscape, would be a great way to attract tourism.

Christopher Sandom, a biologist at the University of Sussex, said: “A fenced reserve in Scotland could be a fantastic opportunity to return large predators to Britain, ecologically restore a large part of the Scottish Highlands, and promote tourism.”

A fenced reserve for wolves would be the best option for rewilding, because while they are not the biggest threat to livestock, it does not mean they will not prey on sheep or cattle. However, domesticated dogs are found to be more of a threat to livestock in countries that have wolves in their ecosystem. A study conducted by The U.S. Department of Agriculture found that dogs kill 100% more cattle than wolves do every year, and they also kill up to 2,000% more sheep compared to the average wolf. The study also found that wolves were responsible for less than 1% of unwanted calf, cattle, lamb, and sheep losses.

 In 2014 and 2015, 0.4% of livestock out of 119 million livestock died from predators, and up to 98% of unwanted livestock deaths could be related to disease. The communities surrounding the Highlands do not need to worry about their livestock in relation to wolves being reintroduced.

By creating a large fenced reserve, Scotland hopes to guide other countries in Europe to reintroduce wolves to their ecosystems and an attempt to bring a natural balance to biodiversity.

David McDonald, director of the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit at Oxford University, said: “Scotland can lead Europe in thinking about how conservation, large fenced reserves, and tourism can reframe rural economies.”

There are more pros than there are cons in the discussion of rewilding wolves after many years following their extinction in Scotland. By reintroducing wolves, they will directly and indirectly help the biodiversity in the Scottish Highlands. The problem of red deer population will be rectified and the over-grazed woodlands will be able to flourish, which will create better habitats for the other animals that live in the floor of the woodland areas.