Captured lynx had been tamed and are used to humans, says expert

Two lynx which were illegally released into the Cairngorms had been tamed and may be related to another pair on the loose, according to the chief executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland.

Cairngorms National Park Authority announced on Wednesday evening that two lynx were at large, and members of the public who spotted the animals were warned not to approach them.

The animals, which are around a year old, were trapped overnight into Thursday, and are being cared for by zoologists from the RZSS who are working on the reintroduction of Scottish wildcats.

They have been nicknamed the “Killiehuntly Two” after the region where they were found – but it emerged on Friday that another pair of lynx, which appear to be older, are also on the loose.

Police said they received reports the animals had been seen in the Dell of Killiehuntly area near Kingussie at about 7.10am on Friday.

The lynx captured on Thursday were taken by RZSS to quarantine facilities at the Highland Wildlife Park near Aviemore, with the animals due to be transferred to Edinburgh Zoo, where their health and welfare will be assessed.

RZSS chief executive David Field said: “It’s mad, sad and bad. We don’t know where the lynx have come from.

“There is a small population of lynx held in private hands in the UK. The two lynx we caught are very young and habituated – they are looking to humans for security and food, they are used to heating.

“We wouldn’t pet them as they are wild animals and not pets.

“Lynx are perfectly able to live outside in the wild in Scotland, but these individuals are used to heated, warm environments and food being prepared, and humans.

“They are totally unsuitable for being out in the wild. They pose a huge risk to themselves and to the community.

“They are not going to attack people or take out a sheep or a deer, they aren’t used to hunting these animals.

“Part of the police investigation will be around private facilities – they will have come from an enclosure in a private facility.

“You can’t just put an animal into the wild and expect it to survive.

“The people who have done this are negligent and have abandoned these animals.”

Mr Field said there are around 20 lynx in private facilities in the UK – which are different from licensed zoos – and it is possible the previous owners found themselves unable to care for them.

After the second pair of lynx were spotted in the wild, he added: “We don’t know but we would suspect they are connected. But until we have got the other lynx safely in our care, it is difficult to determine their relationship.

“People realise these animals have been abandoned. It is cruel.

“We have an established programme for endangered species, including breeding programmes, run on scientific and democratic processes.

“We have quarantine facilities for these animals to recover, then we have to find a home for them. There’s tens of thousands of pounds which RZSS is committing to these animals.

“I just hope that these other two lynx, which seem to be a bit more savvy, we are able to trap overnight.

“All the responsible organisations which work for rewilding are saying ‘this is not the way to do it’.

“The police are investigating the origins of these animals – they are tamed and habituated to humans.

“They have come from a place where they have had contact with humans.”