LONDON (AP) – One of four people believed to have been illegally released in the Scottish Highlands has died within hours of being captured, wildlife authorities said Saturday.
Medium-sized wild cats that have been extinct in Scotland for centuries were spotted in the Cairngorms National Park this week, raising concerns that a private breeder is illegally releasing the predators into the wild. The dead lynx was one of two captured on Friday.
“This tragic development simply shows the folly of leaving these amazing animals in the wild, without any preparation or real concern for their welfare,” said Helen Senn, head of conservation at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. We can only imagine the stress the four recovering lynx must have felt after being thrown into a new and very difficult environment to fend for themselves.
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The sighting and capture of the lynx comes as some environmental activists call for the reintroduction of the lynx as a way to control the growing deer population and highlight Scotland’s commitment to wildlife diversity.
Police are still investigating the incident and have not released any information about possible suspects. Wildlife experts speculate that the cats were released by a private individual because they were fed up with the slow pace of getting permission from the government or an opponent who wanted to create problems that would hinder restoration efforts.
The area’s Conservative MP, Edward Mountain, said the second lynx capture suggested “a concerted approach to illegal lynx repatriation.”
“These animals cannot appear by magic, and the authorities must deal with this wildlife crime with the aim of finding out who did this,” he said.
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