Three lynx that were illegally released in the Scottish Highlands and rescued in January have been named Caledonia, Cardrona, and Bluebell by children from a local primary school. The animals were found roaming the Cairngorms with signs of starvation and are now under the care of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) at Highland Wildlife Park, after initially being quarantined at Edinburgh Zoo.
Judith Bowman, carnivore team leader at the park, said: 'It has been wonderful to care for the three girls here at the park over the past month. We are already seeing their playful and curious personalities flourish.' She thanked Kinlochleven Primary P3-4 for choosing Bluebell's name, and noted that Caledonia was named by a prize draw winner and Cardrona by the Weir Charitable Trust.
The lynx are all female and believed to be less than a year old. A fourth lynx, a male of similar age, died in captivity. RZSS chief executive David Field described the illegal release as 'highly irresponsible' and stated that the cats would likely have died without rescue.
Lynx were driven to extinction in Britain centuries ago, though they remain common in Europe and Asia. Reintroduction campaigns have faced opposition from sheep farmers concerned about livestock predation. A Scottish government discussion group found that sheep and game birds near wooded areas could be vulnerable, but also concluded there is sufficient space in Scotland to support lynx reintroduction with appropriate management measures.
