Rewilding Arctic with mammals ‘will do little’ to slow impact of climate crisis, study suggests

Changing climate made landscapes less able to support megafauna, rather than loss of animals due to human hunting allowing an expansion of shrubs, scientists say

Changes to tundra landscapes due to warming climates left mammoths with little to eat, research suggests (Daniel Eskridge)

Returning large grazing mammals to tundra environments may not have a significant impact on landscapes and the environment, new research suggests.

A study looking at the demise of large animals following the end of the ice age, indicates that the warming climate allowed the expansion of plant species such as shrubs, which ultimately resulted in the loss of iconic mammal species, rather than the other way round.

The researchers said their findings have “major implications” for proposals to prevent soils in the Arctic from thawing by reintroducing animals such as bison and horses.