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Exploring the Value of Wolves (Canis lupus) in Landscape-Scale Fenced Reserves for Ecological Restoration in the Scottish Highlands

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Fencing for Conservation

Abstract

Here we explore the ecological feasibility of constructing a landscape-scale fenced reserve in the Scottish Highlands, to contain a wolf Canis lupus population for the purpose of promoting ecological restoration. The prospect of constructing such a reserve raises numerous issues, and here we describe a theoretical investigation into the specific case of wolves in the Highlands, to determine whether the concept warrants further examination. We attempt to answer the following questions: How big must a fenced reserve, ecologically suitable for large predators, be? Is there sufficient space in the Highlands? Will wolves regulate red deer Cervus elaphus numbers? And how do we assess land suitability? Our results indicate that: an area of at least 600 km2 would be preferable but that this could potentially sustain a functional wolf population; that there is sufficient space in the Scottish Highlands; that the wolf population has the potential to regulate the deer population; and, that although there are numerous potentially contentious issues to overcome, the land may be suitable for such a reserve. We conclude that, from an ecological perspective, the release of wolves to a fenced reserve is potentially feasible, and our preliminary results support further exploration of this concept.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Mr. Paul Lister and all the Alladale staff for their continued support. We are also grateful to Adrian Manning, Hans Kruuk, Steve Rushton, Mark Boyce, Mike Daniels, Mark Stanley-Price and Joelene Hughes for their invaluable contributions in reviewing earlier manuscripts. We would also like to thank E.J. Milner-Gulland for her insightful comments as well as the Imperial College London Conservation Scientists who also provided useful feedback.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Oxon, OX13 5QL, UK

    Christopher Sandom, Joseph Bull & David W. Macdonald

  2. Spatial Ecology and Epidemiology group, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Oxon, OX13 5QL, UK

    Susan Canney

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  1. Christopher Sandom
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  2. Joseph Bull
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  3. Susan Canney
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  4. David W. Macdonald
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Correspondence to Christopher Sandom .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa

    Michael J. Somers

  2. Australian Wildlife Conservancy, PO Box 432, Nichol's Point, 3501, Australia

    Matthew Hayward

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Sandom, C., Bull, J., Canney, S., Macdonald, D.W. (2012). Exploring the Value of Wolves (Canis lupus) in Landscape-Scale Fenced Reserves for Ecological Restoration in the Scottish Highlands. In: Somers, M., Hayward, M. (eds) Fencing for Conservation. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-0902-1_14

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