A LYNX which was captured after being illegally released in the Highlands has died.
The animal was part of the second pair to be spotted in the Highlands overnight on Thursday and later captured on Friday near the the Dell of Killiehuntly.
The first pair was spotted on Wednesday and recaptured on Thursday.
Initial reports had suggested the two wild cats captured on Friday were in good health, but it has now been announced that one of the lynx has died.
The lynx’s cause of death is not yet known. A post-mortem will be carried out.
A spokesman for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) said: “We can confirm one of them has died overnight.
“We will go through a post-mortem but we won’t have the results for a few days.”
It is understood the other lynx will be taken to Edinburgh Zoo and join the two other lynx.
All three will be quarantined for 30 days.
It comes after the head of an animal conservation charity warned against “rogue rewilding” amid speculation the phenomenon could be responsible for the two pairs being illegally released.
Lynx, which can be roughly the size of a labrador, are usually shy and solitary creatures and attacks on humans are virtually unheard of.
Earlier this week Peter Cairns, director of one of the charities involved, condemned the illegal release.
He added: “The Lynx to Scotland project is working to secure the return of lynx to the Scottish Highlands, but irresponsible and illegal releases such as this are simply counter-productive.”
