Two more lynx spotted on the loose in the Scottish Highlands
Members of the public are being warned by police not to approach the animals and to avoid the area even though "it may be tempting to try to find them, take pictures or set up cameras".
Saturday 11 January 2025 15:24, UK
Two more lynx have reportedly been spotted on the loose in the same Scottish Highlands region where a pair of the wildcats were captured earlier this week.
On Friday morning, Police Scotland said it had received a fresh report of another two lynx captured on a wildlife camera in the Dell of Killiehuntly area near Kingussie within Cairngorms National Park.
The force believes the incident is linked to the illegal release of two lynxes that were captured on Thursday.
Members of the public are being warned not to approach the animals and to avoid the area as specially-trained personnel continue their efforts to track them down.
David Field, chief executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), said: "Two more lynx have been sighted in the same Cairngorms location where we successfully captured a pair yesterday.
"Further traps are being baited in the area and the hope is that these animals will be safely and humanely captured before being taken to Edinburgh Zoo to join the two captured yesterday in quarantine.
"RZSS condemns the illegal release of wild animals in the strongest possible terms and urges anyone with information on the release of these lynx to contact Police Scotland on 101."
Police Scotland said enquiries are continuing to "establish the full circumstances of both sightings".
Inspector Craig Johnstone added: "Although it may be tempting to try to find them, take pictures or set up cameras, we are asking people not to travel into the area, particularly in the current winter weather conditions.
"Please be mindful, act responsibly and allow the animal experts to carry out their work."
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Following the capture of the two on Thursday, First Minister John Swinney said the incident "should not have happened" and was an "illegal act".
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Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, said: "There may well be a case for reintroducing lynx to Scotland but that must be done properly.
"It is illegal and utterly arrogant to release predators into the countryside without proper consideration of their impact on domestic animals and vulnerable wildlife, without the consent of the local community and without any process to monitor their impact.
"Those responsible should be prosecuted and punished in exactly the same way as any other wildlife criminal."