The reintroduction of lynx , a species which has been extinct in Britain for at least 500 years, to northern Scotland is one step closer as a major consultation with local people is launched to seek their views on the potential return of the animals to the wild.
The elusive medium-sized cats pose no threat to people, help maintain healthy ecosystems and prey on deer, which have exploded in numbers in recent decades, reaching their highest levels in 1,000 years.
