A trio of lynx who were illegally released into the Scottish Highlands earlier this year have been named, following a competition involving school children and charity donors.
Caledonia, Cardrona and Bluebell have settled in at the Highland Wildlife Park, a few miles from where they were first discovered in the Cairngorms National Park.
The wild cats were rescued in freezing overnight temperatures by experts from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) in January.
A fourth juvenile lynx was found abandoned but died after being rescued.
The unplanned release of the animals was condemned by welfare groups and prompted a police investigation, though so far no arrests have been made.
Schools in Scotland were invited to take part in the competition, submitting projects on the value of nature, with the winners being Kinlochleven Primary School’s P3-4 class – who chose the name Bluebell.
Caledonia was named by the winner of a prize draw which raised more than £7,600 for RZSS, while Cardrona was named by the Weir Charitable Trust, who made a generous donation.
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.”
