George Monbiot (Britain’s surging deer population is causing an ecological disaster. I have a solution: wolves, 11 August) proposes the reintroduction of wolves to control escalating numbers of deer, which are degrading natural habitats by overgrazing. This approach has been dramatically successful in Yellowstone national park in the US.
I am, however, puzzled that he doesn’t mention that other great degrader of upland habitats – sheep. Clearly, wolves and sheep don’t mix well. However, if we are serious about rewilding, and also about switching to plant-based diets, as I believe we must, sheep will have to go from upland Britain. This will save a fortune in subsidy and I for one would not mourn their passing. It was the introduction of sheep that led to the horrors of the Scottish Highland clearances.
Christian Murray-Leslie
Melbourne, Derbyshire
• George Monbiot rightly notes that British venison could sensibly be provided, but vested interests, greed and cheap imports would mess things up. In a similar vein, Ireland is planning to pay dairy farmers to cull 200,000 cows to meet climate targets. The danger is that the resulting beef, offal, leather and blood-and-bone fertiliser will be wasted, while imports flood in. There is a common lesson here, although it won’t be popular. Consumption needs to be based on varying production, not vice versa. Eating fewer fish while stocks are restored is a further example.
Iain Climie
Whitchurch, Hampshire
• Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
