Illegally released lynx captured

[Quincey]

Police are investigating the release of two lynx in the Highlands and have urged the public not to approach the wild cats.

The alarm was raised at about 16:20 when they were spotted in the Drumguish area, near to Kingussie.

Specially trained staff from the Highland Wildlife Park are assisting officers to trace the animals:

Police warning after two lynx released in Highlands

 

[Strathmorezoo]

Police are investigating the release of two lynx in the Highlands and have urged the public not to approach the wild cats.

The alarm was raised at about 16:20 when they were spotted in the Drumguish area, near to Kingussie.

Specially trained staff from the Highland Wildlife Park are assisting officers to trace the animals:

Police warning after two lynx released in Highlands

Let's hope that these animals are safely caught and not shot !

 

[WhistlingKite24]

The two lynx in the Cairngorms have been successfully trapped and taken to Highland Wildlife Park's quarantine facilities. They will be moved to Edinburgh Zoo for vet asessments soon - reported on their FB page.

 

[dillotest0]

Here's to the next decade of consultancy period!

 

[Strathmorezoo]

The two lynx in the Cairngorms have been successfully trapped and taken to Highland Wildlife Park's quarantine facilities. They will be moved to Edinburgh Zoo for vet asessments soon - reported on their FB page.

Good result. Will be interesting where these two animals end up.

 

[Cobi]

Good result. Will be interesting where these two animals end up.

It would be nice if the zoo found a space for them there. I’m very curious about where they came from in the first place. Could it be an attempt at guerilla rewilding?

 

[Typhlonectes]

It would be nice if the zoo found a space for them there. I’m very curious about where they came from in the first place. Could it be an attempt at guerilla rewilding?

This has been all but confirmed as a guerilla reintroduction on Wildwood’s instagram page

 

[Strathmorezoo]

This has been all but confirmed as a guerilla reintroduction on Wildwood’s instagram page

Although, probably done with the best intentions, they clearly don't know what they are doing.

 

[Laboratory 7]

Although, probably done with the best intentions, they clearly don't know what they are doing.

Neither did the lynx from what I've heard more or less sat waiting to be captured.

 

[Rajang21]

Although, probably done with the best intentions, they clearly don't know what they are doing.

To be clear, Wildwood did not release these animals themselves.

 

[Cobi]

This has been all but confirmed as a guerilla reintroduction on Wildwood’s instagram page

Just to be clear - because I was confused, they didn’t confirm it as a reintroduction by them:

Two Eurasian lynx that were illegally released in the Highlands this week have been safely recaptured by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. Great work by the team there for acting so quickly!

While we are passionate to see lynx back in the wild, it’s crucial to stress that illegal releases like this are not the way forward.

At Wildwood, we are proud to care for Eurasian lynx at both our Devon (seen in the photo above) and Kent parks, and we wholeheartedly support carefully planned and fully resourced efforts to reintroduce them into the wild. Successful reintroductions require meticulous feasibility studies, collaboration, and long-term planning – all of which are already underway.

Let’s take a moment to celebrate these extraordinary animals. Secretive, solitary, and shy around humans, lynx have the potential to play a vital role in restoring habitats and natural processes. Their rightful return to the wild can make a real difference – but only if it’s done the right way.

Together, we can pave the way for a brighter future for lynx and our ecosystems.

 

[Panthera1981]

There’s now a video of the capture of the pair on the BBC News. One of the lynx looks like it would barely say Boo to a goose let alone kill one!

 

[Lafone]

There’s now a video of the capture of the pair on the BBC News. One of the lynx looks like it would barely say Boo to a goose let alone kill one!

Yes - such amazing animals I hope they will be ok.

Watch the moment two lynx are captured in the Highlands

The release shows the idiots among humans and the capture and care of the animals the good folk side!

 

[Richie Hell]

That video says so much. I was thinking recapture would take weeks of leaving out humane traps, not walking up to them with a sack.

 

[Panthera1981]

A further 2 more lynx have now been spotted near Kingussie

 

[Lafone]

A further 2 more lynx have now been spotted near Kingussie

I wonder if there are even more?!

 

[Lafone]

It's bonkers to just release lynx into an area with no prep it's silly and the lynx would probably just die.

 

[Strathmorezoo]

It's bonkers to just release lynx into an area with no prep it's silly and the lynx would probably just die.

I agree, I also think that these releases are an act of cruelty.

 

[Pertinax]

I agree, I also think that these releases are an act of cruelty.

Certainly- unless they had either been trained to catch wild prey or were from a wild/semi-wild background. The behaviour of the ones in the photo seems to indicate they weren't. And it would still be illegal anyway.

 

[Lafone]

Certainly- unless they had either been trained to catch wild prey or were from a wild/semi-wild background. The behaviour of the ones in the photo seems to indicate they weren't. And it would still be illegal anyway.

Definitely and in the video you can see all the behaviours you see at the zoo with Eurasian lynx as they approach the people with the torches and sit, pace etc just waiting for some food to be thrown. Anyone who has attended a lynx feed has seen that 'sit and gaze'. I photographed a lynx while doing that just the other weekend. Nothing in that is wild behaviour, they are not even that wary and while they went into the capture boxes, it wasn't a fight.