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Baby haggis, capybara therapets and Nessie feature in April Fools' pranks

Molly HenryBBC Scotland journalist
Highland Wildlife Rescue Baby haggisHighland Wildlife Rescue
A baby haggis was among the April Fools' Day pranks

Social media feeds have been flooded with creative, and sometimes convincing, April Fools' Day pranks.

Keeping with tradition, many official accounts have joined in, teasing followers with tongue‑in‑cheek announcements and playful hoaxes.

They include animal welfare organisations, tourism bodies and even the emergency services.

Here's a small selection of pranks that have been gaining attention today.

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Scottish Mountain Rescue posted a video of their first ever search and rescue cat.

They said the new recruit would be highly capable of supporting casualties in "complex terrain".

But they added, the feline's duties would be "largely dictated by operational priorities such as napping, terrorising local wildlife, and sitting in a really excellent box".

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The National Trust for Scotland shared a video on its "lowland haggis survey".

It was billed as an informative piece on how they monitor the population of such an "elusive animal".

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Robert Gordon University would like you to meet "Gort" the capybara.

Gort will be a new "therapet" for the University.

It claimed he was "here to help with deadlines and pre-exam stress."

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Visit Scotland Tours, run by John MacEachen, posted this AI generated picture of lava flowing from Edinburgh Castle.

He said: "It is the first recorded volcanic activity in Edinburgh in over 300 million years."

Commenters on the post said that it would be a great renewable energy source and some were hopeful it would bring down their heating bills.

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Police Scotland have shared this small dog recruitment ad for a "specialist dog branch."

Their "preferred breeds include (but not limited to): Dachshunds, Terriers, Pugs, or any dog that believes its bigger than it actually is."

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Highland Wildlife Rescue highlighted a rescued "juvenile haggis".

They said he was found "stuck down a cattlegrid".

But "after a long night of gentle warming and bottle feeds" they are happy to report the "lucky little chap seems to be stabilising well".

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Scottish Banter Facebook page shared this AI generated "ferry bridge" as the new "contingency plan" for travellers between Oban and Mull.

Commenters joked that there are enough out of service CalMac vessels that perhaps it wasn't so far-fetched.

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A holiday park in Crofthead are offering "Highland Cow Taxis" this Easter Friday.

They said this new venture is "just in time with the petrol prices going up."

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This Barrhead based social media page has posted a "sighting" of a seal in the area.

The page asked for name suggestions for their new visitor.

Some of the names suggested were Seal-ya, April and Gullible.

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And finally, Visit Scotland posted very believable proof of the Loch Ness Monster's existence.