Abstract

​Environmental social scientist and Cambridge alumnus Dr Jonny Hanson presents a book and film, in discussion with Dr Tom Fry, on potential large carnivore reintroductions to the UK and how they might best be communicated.

​Following last year’s illegal release of four lynx into the Scottish Highlands, public interest in the topic has surged—alongside tensions. Drawing on his research, Dr Hanson cuts through the hype and headlines to offer story-led yet evidence-based perspectives on this complex issue.

​The event features a screening of Snow Leopard Trail, a 20-minute film based on Jonny’s Cambridge PhD research and his ongoing collaborations in the Himalayas. The film explores what UK communities might learn from Nepal, where people already coexist with large carnivores.

​In conversation with Dr Tom Fry, Dr Hanson will also discuss his book, Living with Lynx, a compelling science travelogue that brings together insights from over seven countries. Through interviews, field visits, and personal stories, it examines the real-world challenges and possibilities of reintroducing large carnivores to Britain and Ireland.

​Alongside the film screening, Jonny and Tom will weigh the arguments for and against lynx and wolf reintroductions—and the importance of storytelling alongside science.

​Expect stunning landscapes, thought-provoking ideas, and an opportunity to reflect on the future of wildlife coexistence in the UK.

​Signed copies of Living with Lynx will be available to purchase for £25 (card payments or exact cash only).

​About the speakers

​Jonny Hanson is an environmental social scientist at Queen’s University Belfast and an award-winning social entrepreneur who set up and managed Northern Ireland’s first community-owned farm. Raised between Malawi, Africa, and Monaghan, Ireland, he has a PhD in snow leopard conservation from the University of Cambridge (Hughes Hall 2018) and is an Affiliate of the Snow Leopard Conservancy.

​Tom Fry is an environmental geographer researching the political ecology of human-wildlife relations, sociocultural understandings of nature, and wildlife conservation. He has researched rewilding and coexistence with carnivores in the Scottish Highlands, London, and Berlin.

Register here: Communicating Carnivore Coexistence in the UK - Cambridge Conservation Initiative