Elk could return to UK after 3,000 years in new rewilding effort
European elk could be reintroduced to the UK after 3,000 years, in a rewilding plan modelled after the reintroduction of the beaver.
Listen to this article
Nottinghamshire and Derby Wildlife Trusts have been awarded £15,000 from charity Rewilding Britain, as part of an ambitious rewilding plan hoping to see various animals rewilded in the East Midlands.
The European elk, which thrive in big wetland habitats, would be introduced to the Trent Valley.
The rewilding project is modelled on the reintroduction of the beaver to the UK.
Two pairs of beavers were successfully rewilded in a Dorset nature reserve in March. It’s hoped the beavers’ dam-building ability could provide a natural solution to flooding in the coming years.
Funding has also been awarded to a project that could see the reintroduction of bison in the south of England.
Rebecca Wrigley, chief executive of Rewilding Britain, has said that these species are “vital” to restoring Britain’s nature.
“They help repair ecosystems, and shape wild places in ways that benefit wildlife, people and the climate” she said.
Janice Bradley of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust agrees, noting that elk are one of Britain’s “lost species”.
“We think they should be brought back to fulfil their role in optimising habitats for other wildlife” she said.
The European elk, also known as the Eurasian elk, were hunted to extinction in the UK some 12,000 years ago. They still roam in colder parts of Europe, primarily in Scandinavia and Latvia.
The European elk is the largest living deer species in the world. The species are notable for their huge antlers, which can span 2 meters and weigh up to 30kg.