Only a minority of young people were in favour of reintroductions, according to the poll run by the ARK social-policy hub at Queen’s and Ulster universities in Northern Ireland.

The Young Life and Times survey interviewed over 2,000 16-year-olds while the Kids’ Life and Times survey polled over 4,000 children aged 10 and 11, all from Northern Ireland. Questions related to the potential reintroduction of large carnivores to parts of the UK and Ireland that might be considered ecologically suitable were included.

The study is the first-ever probe into young people’s attitudes to the reintroduction of such large predators in either the UK or Ireland. It is also the first-ever survey of any public opinion, regardless of age, on the topic on the island of Ireland.

Poll results

In general, young people’s support for the reintroduction of large carnivores was lower than that of adults in previous surveys carried out in Great Britain. Those surveys recorded adult support as variously between 36% and 72%.

In the ARK survey, just under one third (32%) of 10/11-year-olds and just over one third (35%) of 16-year-olds ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’ with the idea of lynx reintroductions to parts of the UK and Ireland. That figure was lower for wolf reintroductions - 30% of 10/11-year-olds and 31% of 16-year-olds supported the idea.

The strongest single result, however, was ‘neither agree nor disagree’ with proposed reintroductions across both species and age-groups.

Negative associations

Girls and young people living in rural areas were significantly less supportive of reintroduction of any large carnivores while ‘don’t know’ answers were higher for lynx than wolves, perhaps reflecting more familiarity with the latter species.

There were more negative associations with wolves across the board, which may be due to a higher perception of risk to human and livestock populations than with lynx.

Perhaps intriguingly, younger children whose families owned livestock were more supportive of large carnivore reintroductions while older teens whose families owned livestock were less supportive.

Ecological debate

The survey comes in the wake of calls and proposals to reintroduce large predators to parts of the UK and Ireland centuries after they disappeared, primarily for environmental reasons, often related to controlling other species like deer and re-balancing ecosystems and rewilding. The idea has been hotly contested, however, particularly by livestock farmers, especially in relation to predators at the top of the food-chain like lynx and wolves.

The issue hit the headlines again earlier this year after the illegal release of four Eurasian lynx into the Scottish Highlands.

While the ecological angles are the subject of ongoing debate, the social feasibility of such proposals is far less researched and documented, according to Dr Jonny Hanson from the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work at Queen’s University Belfast.

Lead researcher on these ARK survey questions, he said the views of children and teens were an important consideration:

“The potential reintroductions of lynx and wolves to the UK and Ireland are very socially complex and highly contested. This new data from young people helps us to understand the diverse perspectives of children and teenagers on this issue and gives us a better picture of their nuanced and valid views.

“Robust and independent social-science research like this should not just be bolted on to current and future large-carnivore reintroduction proposals but built into them.

“The feasibility and viability of potential lynx and wolf reintroductions in the UK and Ireland will hinge on understanding and addressing their complex human dimensions with young people and adults alike.”

The research update has been published today and is open-access.

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Media inquiries to Una Bradley u.bradley@qub.ac.uk