No sign of lynx after reported sighting

No evidence has been found so far of a lynx after reports of a potential sighting in a south of Scotland woodland, according to NatureScot.

Police were alerted to a sighting near Newton Stewart on Friday.

NatureScot, Scotland's nature agency, has been assisting in the investigation.

A spokesperson told BBC Scotland News: "We have searched for animal signs in the area and, so far, found evidence of roe deer, badger and fox, but no signs of lynx."

Police Scotland said its inquiries were ongoing.

It said if there were any further sightings the public should not approach the animal and contact police on the 101 number.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), which was involved in capturing four lynx in the Cairngorms in January, said it was aware of the Newton Stewart incident but was not involved in the search.

Evidence of lynx could include their excrement, called scats.

They are often cylindrical in shape and usually contain hairs and fragments of bones from mice and voles.

NatureScot has also set up trail cameras to monitor the area.

"It is important to stress that it is only a possibility that this reported sighting was of a lynx," it said in a statement.

The incident in Galloway comes after a number of lynx were illegally released in the Cairngorms.

They were spotted in the national park on two separate occasions in early January before being captured near Kingussie, south of Aviemore, a few days later.

Police were first alerted on 8 January and the RZSS, which runs a wildlife park nearby, helped to capture all the lynx involved by 10 January.

One of the lynx - a male - died after capture but three females are looking for a new home after completing 30 days quarantine at Edinburgh Zoo.

Lynx were once a native species in Scotland, but they died out several hundred years ago.

There are suspicions the Cairngorms lynx are abandoned pets, or were let go by people who want to see the animals reinstated to wooded hills and glens.

However, First Minister John Swinney has ruled out the legal reintroduction of lynx into the wild in Scotland.