Research overview: assisted migration debate for climate-threatened cats

When species cannot track shifting climate fast enough, assisted migration, deliberately moving them to newly suitable areas, is debated as a last resort. This overview surveys the arguments for and against, drawing on the climate-informed translocation of the Iberian lynx as a leading felid example, and the ecological risks of introducing predators to new areas. It reviews decision frameworks that weigh extinction risk against the hazards of intervention. The synthesis frames assisted migration as a contentious but increasingly discussed tool, explaining why it appeals for species trapped by fast climate change or impassable barriers, and why caution prevails given the unpredictable consequences of relocating large carnivores beyond their historical range.