The Scottish government has provided reassurance to the farming industry that there is no intention to allow the reintroduction of lynx.
There are currently no licence applications to reintroduce the wild cat or any other large carnivorous species into Scotland, the Scottish government confirmed.
The assurance follows Eurasian lynx being illegally released in the Kingussie area of the Highlands, with some having already been recaptured.
One of the wild cats died after its capture late last week, while the other three are being cared for at Edinburgh Zoo.
Some conservation groups have been campaigning to have the species re-introduced into Scotland.
But the sheep sector has frequently said that any reintroduction could be far reaching, including the stress placed on farmers knowing that an apex predator is in the vicinity.
Evidence shows that some European sheep flocks have suffered great losses due to lynx predation.
Scottish government minister Alasdair Allan MSP sought to reassure the farming industry that the government had no plans to release the species into the wild.
He said: "The government does not believe that there is the necessary support amongst the Scottish public in general and land managers in particular for such a reintroduction to take place at present."
The National Sheep Association (NSA) has previously called for a 'full consultation' before any decision is taken to reintroduce the Eurasian Lynx.
The body's chief executive, Phil Stocker said there must be 'practical and science-based evidence and reasoning' from the government and charities.
He said: "NSA would advocate for a case-by-case approach to ensure there is a robust and clear strategy to ensure unintended consequences are avoided.
"As an organisation we will engage constructively with this conversation, on the understanding that it will inform whether a formal consultation should proceed in advance of any licence application.
“As sheep farmers, we will be far more directly affected than most and we have a duty and a right to express our views."
SNP Westminster Rural Affairs spokesperson, Seamus Logan said the assurance from the Scottish government was 'very welcome'.
The Aberdeenshire North and Moray East MP said: "I am aware that this issue surfaces quite regularly when environmental organisations suggest reintroducing lynx to Scotland, and the events of the past few days are a good example of why this would be a bad idea.
“The message needs to go out that there is no appetite for lynx reintroduction through any formal process and doing so illegally simply puts these animals and the wider environment at risk.”
