Oxford prof suggests lynx to cull deer

LONDON, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- A British ecologist says lynx should be reintroduced in parts of Britain to help cull deer that are destroying crops and woodlands.

David MacDonald of Oxford University's Wildlife Conservation Research Unit said the lynx, hunted to extinction in Britain 500 years ago, are no danger to humans, The Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

The report said there are estimated to be more than 2 million deer in Britain, the largest number in 1,000 years. While 350,000 are culled each year by hunters, another 150,000 need to be killed each year to protect the countryside, ecologists said.