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Two more lynx spotted in the Highlands as public warned of dangerous animals

The public have been told not to approach the animals

Nick Forbes
Friday 10 January 2025 05:46 EST
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There has been a sighting of two more lynx in the area where two of the animals were captured on Thursday (Ben Birchall/PA)
There has been a sighting of two more lynx in the area where two of the animals were captured on Thursday (Ben Birchall/PA) (PA Archive)

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Police are investigating a sighting of another two lynx in the Scottish Highlands.

Police received reports the animals had been seen in the Dell of Killiehuntly area near Kingussie at about 7.10am on Friday.

Officers said they believe the sighting is connected to the release of two lynx seen in the same area on Wednesday, which were safely captured on Thursday.

Members of the public have been warned not to approach the animals, and police said they are working with specially trained personnel to capture them.

Police said inquiries are continuing to establish the full circumstances of the sighting.

They are appealing to anyone who saw anything in the area, or who has any information, to call 101, quoting incident number 0387 of Friday January 10.

Earlier this week experts warned the creatures could have died if they had remained in the wild.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) announced its staff, working with Police Scotland, had “humanely” trapped two of the animals earlier this week, with the conservation charity branding their release “highly irresponsible”.

The RZSS named the lynx the Killiehuntly Two (RZSS)
The RZSS named the lynx the Killiehuntly Two (RZSS)

Now they have been captured, the animals – which the RZSS has named the Killiehuntly Two – are being cared for in quarantine facilities at the Highland Wildlife Park in the Cairngorms before being transferred to Edinburgh Zoo, where their health and welfare will be assessed.

RZSS chief executive David Field said: “We condemn the illegal release of these lynx in the strongest possible terms.

“It was a highly irresponsible act and it is very unlikely they would have survived in the wild due to a lack of adequate preparation.

“Their abandonment was reckless to the animals, public, the community and nature.

“For now, we have named them the Killiehuntly Two and thankfully they appear to be in good health.”

David Barclay, manager of the RZSS Saving Wildcats team, said that long term the creatures may be homed in the Highland Wildlife Park.

He told how the lynx had been captured, saying: “We set live trail cameras near baited traps and it was a long night for our specialist keepers who were taking turns to monitor any activity.

“It was amazing to see the lynx being captured safely and humanely, which makes the lack of sleep more than worth it.”

Mr Barclay continued: “Biosecurity laws mean the cats need to spend 30 days in suitable quarantine facilities, so we will transfer them from Highland Wildlife Park to Edinburgh Zoo, where we will further assess their health and welfare.

“Long term, they may return to Highland Wildlife Park, which is near where they were trapped, though it is too early to say for certain.”

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