REINTRODUCING wolves to the Scottish Highlands could expand native woodland and store a million tonnes of CO2 every year, according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of Leeds argue around 167 wolves would be enough to curb the population of red deer, whose tree sapling eating habits limit woodland regeneration.

They argue the resultant woodland expansion could make up around 5 per cent of the carbon removal target for UK woodlands, amounting to over a million tonnes of CO2 — or more than 6,000 tonnes per wolf.

Lead author of the study, Professor Dominick Spracklen, said: “There is an increasing acknowledgement that the climate and biodiversity crises cannot be managed in isolation.

“We need to look at the potential role of natural processes such as the reintroduction of species to recover our degraded ecosystems and these in turn can deliver co-benefits for climate and nature recovery.”

But SNP First Minister John Swinney has told the National Farmers Union’s Scottish conference  they would not be reintroducing “any other large carnivorous species in Scotland.”