22.06.10
Part-time gamekeeper Graeme Philip from Blairforge near Kinross was still reeling this morning from discovering a two foot high lynx had been lured into the bait he'd set for a fox suspected of killing several bantams in the area.
The animal appeared in his sights just after 2am as he lay in wait and after years of scepticism about sightings of "big cats" he is now in no doubt that at least one is living in the Scottish countryside.
"I'd just like neighbouring keepers to know this animal is out there and to confirm that they aren't a figment of the imagination," he said.
"We had assumed a fox had been killing the bantams but there were no feathers as you'd expect with a fox kill. Now we realise it must have been the lynx."
Graeme confirmed the identity of the animal by checking out pictures on the internet. He described the tufty ears and dark colour.
He added: "I phoned the police so that if other animals and pets go missing in the area they will know the likely culprit."