THE three lynx rescued by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) after being abandoned in the Highlands earlier this year have been named.
Having settled in well at their new home at Highland Wildlife Park, the wildlife conservation charity gave Scottish schools and donors the chance to name the three female cats.
Kinlochleven Primary school, a prize draw winner, and the Weir Charitable Trust named the lynx Bluebell, Caledonia, and Cardrona.
The prize draw raised more than £7600 for RZSS and the Weir Charitable Trust made a "generous donation" to help care for the lynx.
Judith Bowman, carnivore team leader at Highland Wildlife 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.
“Thank you to Kinlochleven Primary P3-4, who chose Bluebell’s name, and submitted an amazing competition entry on their commitment to protecting nature.
“Caledonia was named by our prize draw winner and Cardrona by the Weir Charitable Trust. Without support from kind people like this our wildlife conservation charity wouldn’t be able to continue its vital work.”
Visitors to Highland Wildlife Park can now spot Caledonia, Cardrona and Bluebell and learn more about the species and the conservation challenges they face.
In January, four lynx were illegally released into the Highlands in January, in two separate incidents.
The animals were captured by staff from the RZSS, before being relocated to Edinburgh Zoo with the hopes of finding them a new home.
One of the lynx passed away just days after arriving in Edinburgh.
Following those releases, First Minister John Swinney ruled out the Scottish Government's support for the legal release of lynx or other large carnivores in Scotland.
