Two pairs of lynx illegally released in the Scottish Highlands have been recaptured, amid calls that the incidents were intended to be ‘rogue rewilding’.

The first two Eurasian lynx were spotted in the Cairngorms last Wednesday 8 January and recaptured the following night.

A further pair was released in the same area on Thursday night into Friday morning and also recaptured.

However, one of the big cats has since died.

Dr Helen Senn, head of conservation at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), the organisation that recaptured the animals, said a postmortem will be carried out.

Unfortunate development

“This unfortunate development just serves to further demonstrate the folly of abandoning these amazing animals in the wild, with no preparation or real concern for their welfare,” she said.

The animals, which were once native to both Ireland and Britain, will quarantine before being placed in Edinburgh Zoo. The Countryside Alliance, an organisation campaigning for rural issues and field sports in Britain, has said the acts were ‘rogue rewilding’.

The first pair of lynx released in the Scottish Highlands. \ RZSS