Two remaining ‘deliberately abandoned’ lynx roaming Highlands captured safely
They were caught by humane traps near the Dell of Killiehuntly, near where the previous two lynx were captured on Thursday.
The two “deliberately abandoned” lynx at large in the Scottish Highlands have been captured safe and sound.
Staff from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) said they were able to bait the duo into humane traps in the Cairngorms, after they were spotted overnight on Thursday.
A joint effort from Police Scotland and rangers from the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) led to their capture at 6.30pm on Friday, near the Dell of Killiehuntly, where two other illegally released lynx had been captured on Thursday.
Dr Helen Senn, RZSS head of conservation said: “I’m sure that everyone in the community will be happy and relieved to know that the second pair of lynx have been safely captured.”
“Early reports are that they appear to be in good health, which is the most important thing.
“It’s been a rollercoaster 48 hours, with people working throughout the day and night, in some extremely challenging conditions, but I’ve been so impressed by the efforts of our own staff as well as partners, and members of the local community to ensure that the outcome is a positive one.
“The lynx will now be moved to Highland Wildlife Park before being moved to Edinburgh Zoo to quarantine for 30 days. Although we don’t think that there are any more lynx out there, we will continue to monitor the release site under the direction of Police Scotland.”
Highland Wildlife Park, situated within the Kingussie region of the Cairngorms, said in a statement of Facebook that the animals had been deserted on purpose, but reiterated RZSS’s assurance that they are in good health.
The statement says: “Two additional lynx who appear to have been deliberately abandoned in the Cairngorms have been safely captured this evening.”
Police Scotland said inquiries into how the lynx ended up in the area are continuing, and officers and wildlife experts will continue to examine the area where the incident took place.
