Wolves are fascinating and often have a mystique about them. They also play a key role in keeping ecosystems healthy and balanced. For example, keeping herbivore populations like deer in check helps forests thrive, improves biodiversity, and even boosts carbon storage. Studies indicate that wolves could boost carbon absorption by managing herbivore populations, offering a natural solution to combat climate change.

However, there haven’t been wolves in Scotland for around 250 years. As a result, there is a growing red deer population. These deer eat tree saplings, which suppresses the natural regeneration of trees and woodland.

Reintroducing Wolves

A team of researchers led by the University of Leeds modeled the impact that wolves could have in these areas classified as Scottish Wild Land. A predator-prey model estimates that the reintroduction of wolves in the Cairngorms, South-west Highlands, Central Highlands, and North-west Highlands would lead to a total population of around 167 wolves. This number is enough to reduce the red deer population to a point where the forests could naturally regenerate.

“We need to look at the potential role of natural processes such as the reintroduction of species to recover our degraded ecosystems,” said University of Leeds Professor Dominick Spracklen.

Using wolves to control the red deer population could expand native woodland, which could potentially absorb a million tons of carbon per year. The native woodland is at a standstill because of how much the red deer population has grown. The latest estimates are as high as 400,000. As a result, there is a lack of natural tree regeneration.

Researchers say it’s contributing to the long-term decline of native woodland.

Reintroducing wolves to the ecosystem doesn’t come without controversy, and the researchers are well aware of this. Wolves are a major threat to livestock farmers and deer hunters, specifically. However, the researchers argue that reintroducing wolves needs to be considered.

“Our aim is to provide new information to inform ongoing and future discussions about the possibility of wolf reintroductions both in the UK and elsewhere,” said co-author of the study, farmer, and author Lee Schofield. “We recognize that substantial and wide-ranging stakeholder and public engagement would clearly be essential before any wolf reintroduction could be considered,” he continued. “Human-wildlife conflicts involving carnivores are common and must be addressed through public policies that account for people’s attitudes for a reintroduction to be successful.”