A captured lynx in the Scottish Highlands has died, raising concerns over illegal releases and animal welfare.
Highlands: So, there’s some sad news from the Scottish Highlands. One of the lynx that was illegally released and later captured has died. The folks taking care of these animals shared the news, and it’s really heartbreaking.
This lynx was one of the two that got caught in humane traps near the Dell of Killiehuntly last Friday. They were taken to the Highland Wildlife Park for care. But then, just a day later, it was reported that some conservationists think a “frustrated activist” might be behind the illegal release. Can you believe that?
Dr. Helen Senn from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland mentioned how sad they were to find out about the lynx’s death. They’re planning to do a post-mortem to figure out what happened. It’s just a tough reminder of how risky it is to release these animals without proper preparation.
She pointed out that the stress these lynx must have felt after being thrown into such a harsh environment is unimaginable. The surviving lynx from this pair is now heading to Edinburgh Zoo for quarantine, which is a bit of a relief.
David Field, the RZSS chief, described the surviving lynx as having a lot of character but reminded everyone that it’s still a wild animal. He also talked about how some people are rushing to rewild without following the right guidelines, which is really concerning.
Police Scotland is still looking into how these lynx ended up in the area, and they’re working with wildlife experts to investigate. Back in 2021, there was a consultation about reintroducing Eurasian lynx to Scotland, but this illegal release just complicates things.
Peter Cairns, who’s involved with one of the charities working on the lynx project, condemned the illegal release. He stressed that it’s counter-productive to their efforts. It’s just a tough situation all around.
