Illegally-released Lynx cat dies after capture in Highlands
Share:
One of the lynx released illegally in the Scottish Highlands has died after being captured, those caring for the animals have said. Two of the big cats were caught on Thursday in the Dell of Killiehuntly area near Kingussie, while a second pair were seized in the same region on Friday, one of which died overnight.
Police are investigating how they came to be in the area amid speculation "rogue rewilding" could be to blame for their release. The lynx were baited into humane traps before being taken to the Highland Wildlife Park. Dr Helen Senn, head of conservation at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) said: "After extensive efforts to capture these animals safely and humanely, we were very sad to discover that one of them has died overnight.
"We do not yet know the circumstances behind its death but will be carrying out a postmortem to try to establish what happened. "Whatever the case, this unfortunate development just serves to further demonstrate the folly of abandoning these amazing animals in the wild, with no preparation or real concern for their welfare.
Second pair of 'deliberately abandoned' lynx cats captured in Highlands. Can taking hard drugs in an NHS room save lives?. John Swinney says call to strip Stuart Hogg of MBE 'understandable' after domestic abuse conviction. "We can only imagine the stress that all four of the recovered lynx must have experienced after being thrust into an entirely new and extremely harsh environment to fend for themselves.".
