Paul Lister, self-professed animal enthusiast and heir to the MFI furniture fortune, is taking a big leap to bring back wolves and bears to Scotland. He plans to create the unusual wildlife reserve on his 23,000 acres of land in Sutherland just 60 miles west of Inverness.
After buying his estate ten years ago, Lister has overseen the planting of more than 800,000 native trees. He has also launched conservation programs to protect native species which are under threat such as the Scottish wildcat and red squirrel.
His latest and more ambitious wolf and bear plans involve building a massive fence enclosing a 50,000-acre plot where the animals would be free to roam. He explained all this recently by saying, "We're going to do a feasibility study on the big vision and the vision is to have a minimum area of 50,000 acres, have a fence around it, and bring back wolves and bears into that area."
"We'll assess the socio-economic impact that will have and also the environmental impact. The presence of these large predators really changes the landscape for the benefit of nature. We're talking about maybe two packs of 10 wolves, maybe a dozen bears. These animals create the environment. It's not humans who create the environment, it's nature."
But Lister will either need to buy more land or enlist the support of other local landowners to make his dream of creating the massive enclosure a reality. However he has faced opposition from farmers, walkers and legal experts over his new plan of bringing in wolves and bears. He could also face legal challenges over the plan.
But Paul Lister plans to forge ahead undetered in bringing wolves and bears back to Scotland. Native wolves were driven to extinction in Scotland by the 18th century. Lister sums it all up by saying, "If you don't have an ideal to die for you have nothing to live for. My ideal is that I want to hear the wolf howl again in Scotland."
After buying his estate ten years ago, Lister has overseen the planting of more than 800,000 native trees. He has also launched conservation programs to protect native species which are under threat such as the Scottish wildcat and red squirrel.
His latest and more ambitious wolf and bear plans involve building a massive fence enclosing a 50,000-acre plot where the animals would be free to roam. He explained all this recently by saying, "We're going to do a feasibility study on the big vision and the vision is to have a minimum area of 50,000 acres, have a fence around it, and bring back wolves and bears into that area."
"We'll assess the socio-economic impact that will have and also the environmental impact. The presence of these large predators really changes the landscape for the benefit of nature. We're talking about maybe two packs of 10 wolves, maybe a dozen bears. These animals create the environment. It's not humans who create the environment, it's nature."
But Lister will either need to buy more land or enlist the support of other local landowners to make his dream of creating the massive enclosure a reality. However he has faced opposition from farmers, walkers and legal experts over his new plan of bringing in wolves and bears. He could also face legal challenges over the plan.
But Paul Lister plans to forge ahead undetered in bringing wolves and bears back to Scotland. Native wolves were driven to extinction in Scotland by the 18th century. Lister sums it all up by saying, "If you don't have an ideal to die for you have nothing to live for. My ideal is that I want to hear the wolf howl again in Scotland."
God, bless him. glad someone cares about the animals.
I love every breath you take Paul Lister!
great deed your willing to do for the animals.. wonderful news ..God bless You..
Mr Lister is a hero of nature practicing restoration ecology is a fantastic vision balancing the environment is ever more important. Bravo & thank you♥
Thank you so much, I am truly honored for your nobility, sir
God Bless You Indeed Paul... You Mission to bring our wolves back to Scotland... Has truly made my heart sing... I adore the Wolves... and have prayed for them to return to my homeland... I am a Scot too in "exile" in Victoria, Canada since 1970 and do pray to return home for good very soon when I finally complete my Spiritual Mission on this side of the World... My only child, my precious son Stephen, surrendered his life trying to rescue his Husky/Sheppard dog who looked like Wolf... From frigid waters in Lake Ontario Canada on leap year day Feb 29, 1999 ...You have given me great hope for the future of our land and the Wolves... I will return home to Scotland when I fulfill my huge Mission that my son granted me, as he announced his reincarnation in Cusco,Peru and that I was to create a Sanctuary for abandoned children and animals in the Sacred Valley. I have been working on creating this since 2000 and have finally found the land and had a new born baby with cord still attached dropped at my door in Cusco, and a judge at my door asking me to take in 15 abandoned children who were in an orphanage and being abused... So the Mission is becoming so huge, I am running as fast as I can to create the space where I can help all of these situations and not turn them away. Been trying to do this alone and realize way too big for this little lass alone..so am now reaching out for ideas to everyone to assist us in this creation... Finally found the perfect land of 57 acres,and now need to make it happen and find the help and staff... Thank you for giving me intense joy and hope that I too will be able to assist with such a huge project one day soon also..such as yours... Blessed Be Paul for All you Do for our 4 leggeds...Thank you for sharing and for listening... Catherine White Wolf.... reikivictoria@gmail.com
I am honestly hoping you will do this for the right reason, to bring back the wolves and bear because the CREATOR put them here, and not for the chance of seeing who will come out on top. ................
PRAYERS FOR YOU FOR DOING WHAT IS RIGHT............DEB WATTERSON, TIMBISHA TRIBAL MEMBER, DEATH VALLEY, CALIF.
Sounds like a great idea on paper, but I do hope he will hire someone experienced in wildlife care and husbandry. That LAST thing either the wolves or the bears need is being exploited for profit, or escaping from the enclosure and causing human deaths. The latter would not occur w/ wolves, but could w/ bears. Please, Mr. Lister, do this correctly, or don't do it at all.
Well I think it is a wonderful plan...for we humans all need to live and except all our relatives on earth. Bring back that which was lost to us and learn to get along as others do in their countries with the lions, bears, wolves etc. Mitakuye Oyasin. (all my relations...we are all related)
Wonder plan Paul.All the best to you.
What an amazing idea,obviously already underway in places like Yellowstone where they have already seen the benefits of re-introducing and protecting natural predators! I have to agree with previous comments though, do it right and for the right reasons or not at all! May I suggest working with Shaun ellis as far as the wolves are concerned? Due to his passion for and extensive experience in living and working with wolves! The best of luck to you sir,for too long have we removed ourselves from nature and the natural way of things! Martin.
Pamela Hay says; I have been so excited at the thought of this happening since I first heard about it a few years back,the thought of these wonderful animals roaming the hills of Scotland is amazing and I wish you all the luck in the world in making this happen,God if I ever won the lottery I would give all I could to help make this happen...Good luck
I hope u get ur planni g and make dreams come true one day we might see the roaming free across the uk
What are they going to eat??? For this to be right the WHOLE ecology needs to be intact!? How many predators are already roaming Scotland in human guise I wonder....and yes, if thsi happens, I hope also it's not just to see who comes out on top! Prayers up for the right outcome!
How do i make contact with him ?
Good for you Paul ... to hear the cry of the wolf at night is much more tranquil than hearing a car engine touring down the road.
Good for you Paul ... to hear the cry of the wolf at night is much more tranquil than hearing a car engine touring down the road.
A Vision indeed Paul! The Wolf is a beautiful and intuitive animal, an animal to be revered and one from whom we can learn a lot!
Its worth googling his plans to see all sides of the argument. I would like to see Wolves back in Scotland but I dont think he is the person to do it and I dont think its the right way to do it. Just sounds like a big safari park to me and this is the biggest problem, you cant just fence off 50,000 acres of Scotland where people have a right to roam according to law. If anybody should do it I would put my money on SNH(Scottish Natural Heritage) together with a few sensible land owners.
Being a Scottish person not far from the open Highlands I would say no. If these animals have a home, keep them in an environment they are used to living in. They would be in unfamiliar Country with a populous not used to having either.
Turn the coin around I am all for animal species being given freedom. If I was out with my 2 daughters and drove 20 Miles North and seen a Bear, we wouldn't know what to do. Scotland is 11% populated, so much open space. But the space has houses and walks like the West coast USA Trail.
Not against this...
More concerned how a people will adapt to 2 new species..
All we have here are Foxes/Sheep/Cows. Our only danger is a cow charging at us, and they never do..
Just my 2c from a family who would see these 2 species a lot as I live near where they would be let free..
#Respect
#Alba
PS: To answer some comments. We are not a hunting/killing species here in Scotland like these people do (PS: Kid is a Dummy)
http://shaunynews.com/2015/06/09/an-open-letter-to-wordpress-and-all-bloggers-our-unethical-species/
Also this fool here...
http://shaunynews.com/2015/07/29/us-dentist-to-face-charges-in-cecil-the-lion-sport-kill/
I hope he succeeds