A lynx captured in the Cairngorms has died, raising concerns over illegal wildlife releases and their impact on local ecosystems
This lynx was one of four that were released illegally and caught near Kingussie. They were captured in pairs and taken to the Highland Wildlife Park. The RZSS mentioned that these animals were likely under a lot of stress after being abandoned in such a tough environment.
The first pair was caught on Thursday, and they’ve been moved to Edinburgh Zoo for a 30-day quarantine. The surviving lynx from the pair caught on Friday will join them soon. Some groups are pushing for lynx to be reintroduced to Scotland, but farmers are worried about the potential risks to their livestock.
Helen Senn from RZSS shared that one of the lynx didn’t survive and was found dead. The cause of death is still unknown, and a post-mortem will be done soon. She emphasized that abandoning these animals without proper care is a huge mistake.
Temperatures in the area have dropped to -14C, which is pretty harsh for any animal. The RZSS believes there are no other lynx roaming free in the area. David Field, the RZSS chief, pointed out that illegal releases are a real issue, often caused by people who don’t follow proper guidelines.
Police Scotland is still investigating how these wild cats ended up in the Cairngorms, and they’re working with wildlife experts to look into the situation further.
