Conservationists' bid to bring lynx back to England after 1,300 years rejected by High Court judge

England's lynx reintroduction plan faces setback as High Court rejects legal challenge (Image: AI-generated) Could one of Britain's lost wild predators return to its forests after more than 1,300 years? A conservation group hoped to make that possible by bringing three Eurasian lynx to Northumberland's Kielder Forest for a monitored trial. The proposal aimed to explore whether the large wild cats could once again play a role in Britain's natural ecosystem, particularly by helping control deer populations. However, the plan faced a legal obstacle before the animals could be released, leading the organisation to challenge the decision of the country's wildlife regulator.In a judgment delivered on October 30, 2026, in R (Lynx UK Trust Community Interest Company) v Natural England ([2026] EWHC 2761 (Admin)), the High Court dismissed the conservation group's judicial review challenge. According to the primary judgment available through The National Archives, Ms Justice Obi ruled that permission to release lynx under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 would not remove the separate legal requirements of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976. The court found that the challenge to Natural ...