Young people 'cautious' about wild animals being reintroduced

YOUNG people are “cautious” around the feasibility of reintroducing large carnivores, specifically lynx and wolves, to the UK and Ireland, research has found.

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STUDY Dr Jonny Hanson from Queen's

The study, described as the first ever probe into young people's attitudes to the reintroduction of such large predators, found only a minority are in favour.

Thousands took part in the research run by the ARK social-policy hub at Queen's and Ulster universities.

The Young Life and Times survey interviewed more than 2,000 16-year-olds while the Kids’ Life and Times survey polled more than 4,000 children aged 10 and 11, all from Northern Ireland.

It found that generally, young people’s support for the reintroduction of large carnivores is lower than that of adults in previous surveys carried out in Great Britain.

Those surveys recorded adult support as variously between 36% and 72%.