Two more lynx have been captured in the Cairngorms, following the earlier capture of another pair just two days prior
Cairngorms: So, here’s the scoop. Two lynx were caught in the Cairngorm mountains in Scotland, just two days after another pair was captured. Crazy, right?
Zoo experts believe all four of these lynx were raised by humans before being dumped in the wild. It’s a real head-scratcher.
Police are on the case, trying to figure out how these lynx ended up in the Dell of Killiehuntly near Kingussie. They’ve even asked folks to steer clear of the area.
The whole thing kicked off on Wednesday night when officials announced that two lynx were roaming free. They warned people not to get too close if they spotted them.
Luckily, the first pair, which are about a year old and seem to be pretty tame, were caught within hours. They’re now in the care of zoologists working on reintroducing Scottish wildcats.
Then, on Friday morning, another pair of lynx was spotted. These ones looked a bit older and were thought to have been abandoned on purpose.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) mentioned that the two pairs might even be related. How wild is that?
They set up camera traps and humane traps to catch the second pair, while police and park rangers kept an eye on things.
By Friday evening, the RZSS announced that the second pair was caught around 6:30 PM, not far from where the first pair was captured.
These lynx were taken to the Highland Wildlife Park for a vet check before heading to quarantine at Edinburgh Zoo, just like the first pair.
David Field, the RZSS chief, noted there are about 20 privately owned lynx in the UK. It’s possible their owners couldn’t care for them anymore.
He explained that while lynx can live in the wild, these ones are used to cozy, warm environments and human care. Just tossing them into the wild isn’t the answer.
He called the abandonment negligent, saying, “You can’t just put an animal into the wild and expect it to survive.”
Helen Senn, head of conservation, expressed relief that the second pair was safely captured and reported they seem to be in good health. They’ll keep monitoring the area just in case.
