Four Lynx Were Illegally Released Into The Scottish Highlands, And Guerrilla Rewilding May Be To Blame
Recently, four lynx were illegally released into the Scottish Highlands, and “guerrilla rewilding” may be to blame.
Currently, authorities are combing the snowy woods in search of the missing cats. The Eurasian lynx once roamed this terrain, but it is unclear whether the cat can take back its natural habitat.
On January 8, the Cairngorms National Park Authority announced that two lynx were on the loose in the biggest national park in the United Kingdom.
“We condemn the illegal release of wild animals in the strongest possible terms, and we are also concerned for the welfare of the lynx that have been released,” said the Park Authority in a statement.
“Whilst they are shy animals and low risk to humans, we would ask anyone who does spot a lynx not to approach nor attend the area.”
Experts set up cameras on trails and baited traps to lure the cats out. They worked all night to monitor the area, and eventually, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) was able to recapture the two lynx safely and successfully.
The pair were nicknamed the Killiehuntly Two after the estate of Danish billionaire Anders Povlsen, which was where they were spotted.
They were taken to the nearby Highland Wildlife Park and will stay there for 30 days in accordance with biosecurity laws before being transferred to Edinburgh Zoo.
Initially, it was suggested that the lynx had escaped from Highland Wildlife Park, but park rangers and the police quickly confirmed that they had actually been illegally released.
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“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,” said David Field, chief executive of the RZSS.
“Their abandonment was reckless to the animals, [the] public, the community, and nature.”
They were found 100 yards from a pile of straw bedding that contained dead chicks and porcupine quills. The lynx were likely released from somewhere along the side of the road.
With the two cats now safe and sound, the authorities began their search for the culprits behind the lynx release.
But then, Cairngorms National Park announced the sightings of two more lynx in the Killiehuntly area. The lynx are still at large. It is believed that the second set of lynx is connected to the first pair.
Several conservation groups that support the reintroduction of the lynx to Scotland are in agreement that the releases are harmful to the lynx.
So far, the lynx has been successfully reintroduced in Germany, France, and Switzerland, but that was done through careful regulation.
Government officials think the releases could be a case of “guerrilla rewilding,” an attempt to speed up the reintroduction of lynx into Scotland.
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