Second pair of lynx on the loose captured in the Cairngorms

Two lynx that appeared to have been deliberately abandoned in the Cairngorms have been safely recaptured.

The medium-sized cats were spotted on camera traps overnight on Friday after a further two, released illegally, were caught in the same area near Kingussie on Thursday.

Staff from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland then baited a series of humane traps to entice them, working with police and rangers from the Cairngorms National Park Authority to monitor the area.

The animals were caught at around 6:30pm, near the Dell of Killiehuntly, where the other lynx had been successfully captured the previous day.

Lynx spotted in the Cairngorms National Park | Royal Zoological Society of Scot

Vets at the nearby Highland Wildlife Park are to check them over, before the animals are moved to quarantine facilities in Edinburgh Zoo.

Dr Helen Senn, RZSS head of conservation, said: “I’m sure that everyone in the community will be happy and relieved to know that the second pair of lynx have been safely captured.

“Early reports are that they appear to be in good health, which is the most important thing.

“It’s been a rollercoaster 48 hours, with people working throughout the day and night, in some extremely challenging conditions, but I’ve been so impressed by the efforts of our own staff as well as partners, and members of the local community to ensure that the outcome is a positive one.

Lynx have distinctive pointed ears | Getty Images/iStockphoto

“The lynx will now be moved to Highland Wildlife Park before being moved to Edinburgh Zoo to quarantine for 30 days.

“Although we don’t think that there are any more lynx out there, we will continue to monitor the release site under the direction of Police Scotland.”

Earlier, RZSS chief executive David Field said the two that were first captured had been tamed and may be related to other pair.

They first pair were nicknamed the “Killiehuntly Two” after the region where they were found.

Police said they received a report of a further two big cats in the Dell of Killiehuntly area near Kingussie around 7.10am on Friday - the same area where the two big cats caught this week were spotted.

Due to biosecurity laws, the cats need to spend 30 days in suitable quarantine facilities until furhter decisions on their future are made.

Mr Field said after the first two lynx were captured: “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 were 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 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.”

RZSS said separately: “RZSS condemns the release of wild animals in the strongest possible terms and urges anyone with information on the release of these lynx to contact Police Scotland on 101.”

Conservationists had told The Scotsman they believed the original 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.

Tim Kirkwood, the chief executive of Wildland Ltd, said the organisation was categorically against illegal releases of animals and had nothing to do with the lynx releases.

Research has shown lynx can help control the population of deer. Scotland has seen an explosion in deer numbers in recent years and campaigners vouching for the big cats’ reintroduction say the species could help cull numbers.

Reducing deer populations can then reduce browsing pressure from deer and in turn help forests regenerate naturally.

Rewilding Britain said the reintroduction of the bobtail cat could also improve rural economies by attracting ecotourism. The farmers’ union NFU Scotland has voiced concerns about the impact the big cats could have on livestock.