The quest to catch the Cairngorms' mysterious lynx

On the look of it, it seems a near-impossible task.

Catch 1 of the astir elusive chaotic feline taxon acceptable escaped successful a scenery doubly the size of the Lake District National Park.

But this week experts were faced with this situation not once, but twice.

Barely 24-hours aft 2 escaped cats were captured successful the Cairngorms, wildlife authorities were blistery connected the way of 2 much aft they were spotted successful the aforesaid area.

This funny communicative began connected Wednesday night.

Police Scotland posted connected societal media a informing that 2 lynx had been spotted adjacent Kingussie, a municipality of astir 1,400 people, southbound of Aviemore.

The nationalist were asked not to attack the animals if they encountered them.

A hunt was launched involving Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) keepers from the adjacent Highland Wildlife Park.

They were faced with a fewer challenges.

The Cairngorms National Park is the UK's biggest nationalist park, sprawling crossed 1,748 sq miles and includes parts of 5 section authorities - Aberdeenshire, Angus, Highland, Moray and Perth and Kinross.

To enactment that successful perspective, the Lake District National Park is astir 912 sq miles, portion the state of Luxembourg is little than 1,000.

It is simply a spot of farms, crofts, forests and rugged hills, immense upland moors and mountains but fewer people. About 18,000 successful full telephone the parkland home.

The cats were spotted adjacent RSPB Scotland's Insh Marshes reserve, an country of wetlands and woods connected the fringes of immoderate of the Cairngorms' highest mountains.

It is besides the extent of wintertime and it has been snowing - a batch - successful the Scottish Highlands these past fewer weeks.

Then determination are lynx themselves.

WWF describes them arsenic solitary, elusive and nocturnal and seldom spotted by humans.

Despite these seemingly intolerable odds, the 2 lynx were captured successfully connected Thursday - conscionable hours aft they were spotted.

RZSS utilized cage-type traps baited with venison and quail, a tiny crippled bird.

The traps were fitted with a pedal that erstwhile stepped connected triggered a doorway to adjacent down the cats erstwhile inside.

The keepers were capable to gully connected their cognition of keeping Northern lynx astatine the Highland Wildlife Park.

They besides person past acquisition of collaring AWOL animals.

Last year, they captured a Japanese macaque that was connected the escaped for 5 days aft escaping from the park.

Curiously, the lynx appeared to beryllium acold from elusive, but tame.

One sat looking backmost calmly arsenic a headtorch was shone astatine it, and an RZSS keeper spoke to the lynx and it did not tally away.

The brace are present successful quarantine astatine Edinburgh Zoo.

The communicative was tailing disconnected erstwhile connected Friday greeting Police Scotland dropped different station - 2 much lynx had been spotted successful the aforesaid area.

A caller hunt was launched involving police, RZSS, parkland rangers and Cairngorms Mountain Rescue Team drone.

They were captured aboriginal connected Friday.

It is simply a inactive a mystery, though constabulary are investigating.

A licence is required nether the Dangerous Animals Act to support lynx.

Local authorization Highland Council said nary premises successful the country had applied for, oregon were operating nether a Dangerous Wild Animal (DWA) licence, suggesting they had travel from determination else.

Scotland's quality bureau NatureScot besides said it has not granted immoderate licences for the reintroduction of lynx, a taxon erstwhile autochthonal to Britain earlier dying retired 100 of years agone done situation nonaccomplishment and hunting.

Do a speedy net hunt to find lynx chaotic cats to bargain and determination are links to sellers successful the US, but not the UK.

A imaginable hint to wherever the "Cairngorms Four" originated from was reportedly recovered adjacent wherever they were spotted.

BBC Scotland News understands bedding was discovered with porcupine quills successful the straw.

Did whoever merchandise the cats ain different exotic animals?

Wildlife groups keen to spot lynx 1 time roam escaped nether ineligible reintroductions person been highly captious of lynx being fto loose.

Lynx to Scotland, a three-charity concern moving to reconstruct lynx to the Scottish Highlands, has raised superior concerns.

Peter Cairns, enforcement manager of Scotland: The Big Picture, 1 of the charities involved, said: "The Lynx to Scotland Project is moving to unafraid the instrumentality of lynx to the Scottish Highlands, and this amerciable and grossly irresponsible enactment comes astatine the worst imaginable time, erstwhile stakeholders are engaging successful bully religion with productive discussions astir the imaginable for a afloat resourced ineligible reintroduction."

Any authoritative reintroduction would apt impact 20 animals released successful phases implicit 8 years.

BBC writer Nicole Murray, who grew up successful the area, said determination had been a substance of reactions from people.

She said: "Some are uncovering it precise comic and saying 'first determination was the monkey present this'.

"But besides they are feeling truly atrocious for the mediocre animals.

"Locals are chiefly conscionable acrophobic with the payment of the animals and wondering wherever they person travel from.

"It has been bitterly acold this week."

Robert Macdonald, a section crofter and National Farmers' Union representative, said farmers were disquieted for their sheep and lambs.

He said helium had spoken to farmers successful Norway successful caller times who had mislaid livestock to lynx.

Mr Macdonald said the amerciable merchandise successful the Cairngorms had led farmers to bring their sheep to fields wherever it was easier to show them.

"It's caused a batch of anxiety," helium said.