Police Scotland probe new lynx on the loose report near Highland town

Police are investigating reports of another two lynx being spotted on the loose near a Highland town.

The reported sighting follows a dramatic overnight pursuit of two of the same species of big cat spotted roaming in the Drumguish area near to Kingussie on Wednesday.

The beasts, released into the wild by an unknown culprit or culprits, were caught by zoologists and safely taken to Edinburgh zoo on Thursday.

The new sighting was reported at around 7.10am today (Friday).

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “We received a report of another two lynx being seen in the Dell of Killiehuntly area near Kingussie.

“Members of the public are asked not to approach the animals and officers are working with specially trained personnel to capture them.

“Enquiries suggest the sighting is connected with a release of two lynx seen in the same area on Wednesday, 8 January. They were safely captured on Thursday, 9 January.

“Enquiries are continuing to establish the full circumstances of both sightings.

“If anyone saw anything in the area or has any information then please call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0387 of Friday, 10 January, 2025.”

David Field, chief executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said: "Two more lynx have been sighted in the same Cairngorms location where we successfully captured a pair yesterday.

“Further traps are being baited in the area and the hope is that these animals will be safely and humanely captured before being taken to Edinburgh Zoo to join the two captured yesterday in quarantine.

“Police Scotland and Cairngorm National Park Authority rangers are also in attendance.

“The public are being asked to steer clear of the area as a build-up of people could disturb the animals and hamper efforts on the ground.”

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