Illegal lynx release in Highlands condemned by John Swinney after capture

The First Minister’s comments came after experts warned the two cats could have died if they had remained in the wild.

Conservationists have told The Scotsman they believe the pair were domesticated given the relatively short time it took to recapture them. The animals’ origin is still unknown, but there is an ongoing police investigation into who was responsible for the release.

On Wednesday, officers confirmed two lynx were seen on the loose in the Drumguish area, near Kingussie.

The animals were safely recovered overnight, with the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) confirming that experts had managed to humanely trap the pair with the help of police.

RZSS chief executive David Field said the charity condemned 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,” he said. “Their abandonment was reckless to the animals, public the community and nature.”

Mr Swinney said the release of the lynx “should not have happened” and was “an illegal act”.

The First Minister said: “I am enormously grateful to everybody who has contributed to the safe capture of the lynx.

Read more here: Lynx in Scotland: Here is everything we know about the wild cats being illegally released in the Highlands

“They have been captured by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, but I am aware a number of other parties locally assisted in that process, including officers of Police Scotland and gamekeepers locally.”

The bobtail cats were caught using live trail cameras near baited traps in what was “a long night for our specialist keepers”, said David Barclay, manager of the RZSS Saving Wildcats team.

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

Due to biosecurity laws, the cats need to spend 30 days in suitable quarantine facilities. They will be held at Edinburgh Zoo, where further assessments of their health and welfare will happen, the charity said.

Mr Barclay said: “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.”

The pair of lynx had also been spotted roaming in the vicinity of the Killiehuntly estate, which is run by Wildland Ltd, a rewilding organisation owned by Danish billionaire and landowner Anders Povlsen.

The pair have subsequently been nicknamed “The KillieHuntly Two”.

Tim Kirkwood, chief executive of Wildland Ltd, confirmed the organisation had nothing to do with the lynx and assisted with relevant authorities to aid their recovery.

Rewilding and conservationist groups have since spoken out condemning the illegal act, including the Lynx to Scotland Project, which is campaigning for the legal and safe return of lynx to the Highlands.

Peter Cairns, executive director of SCOTLAND: The Big Picture, one of the charities involved in the project, said the suspected illegal release was “unwelcome and grossly irresponsible”.

He said: “It’s excellent news that experts from the RZSS were able to humanely trap the lynx so rapidly and that the lynx are safe.

“The Lynx to Scotland Project is working to secure the return of lynx to the Scottish Highlands, but irresponsible and illegal releases such as this are simply counter-productive.”

Ross Macleod, head of policy Scotland at the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, said the illegal release of the lynx was “frustrating” as there had been “open dialogue” between various stakeholders.

He said the release also presented welfare risks to the animals themselves, adding: “In this respect, we are relieved that the animals have been recaptured by the RZSS.

“Like other groups, we condemn this illegal release of wild animals in the strongest possible terms.”

The Highland Wildlife Park is already home to two northern lynx, named Switch and Neon. RZSS is continuing to urge anyone with information about how the two lynx came to be in the area to contact Police Scotland.