At the Edge

The UK has lost more of its wildlife than almost any other country. So, for some, the return of sea eagles, beavers, wild boar and pine martens is a rare and uplifting conservation triumph. For others, this wildlife resurgence represents a threat to rural livelihoods and an erosion of countryside traditions.
So, how much wild are we willing to live with? And who gets to decide?
In Episode #1 of At the Edge, host Peter Cairns speaks to expert guests who each shine a light on the social, cultural and political barriers facing Britain's wildlife comeback.
Additional info and useful links
This episode was produced in partnership with Adventurous Audio.
Check out Jonny Hanson's book Living with Lynx with Lynx.
Meet David Hetherington, Darragh Hare and Kirsten Brewster.
Find out more about our supporter, Ballintean Mountain Lodge.
Learn more about At the Edge and follow us on Instagram, or join me, Peter Cairns, on LinkedIn and Bluesky.

Across the UK, sea eagles, beavers, wildcats and wild boar are all staging a comeback. Calls for the return of lynx grow louder each year.
But as wildlife rebounds, it’s confronted by a society that has long forgotten how to live alongside wild nature – and isn’t sure it wants to try.
Join Peter Cairns, host of At the Edge, as he explores the fault lines that divide opinion over nature’s place in our future.
Discover more about At the Edge