In a pioneering move, the Scottish government has approved the first ever release into the wild of up to 20 captive-bred Scottish wildcats in a series of trial releases in the Cairngorms National Park later this summer.
Bred at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Highland Wildlife Park, near Aviemore, the release of the wildcats will be a huge boost towards restoring Scotland’s Critically Endangered wildcat population.
“After release, the wildcats will be monitored using GPS collars as they face the many challenges of life in the wild,” says Helen Senn from the RZSS, who leads the Saving Wildcats project.
The project has received enthusiastic support from the Scottish farming community.
Bobby Carruth, communications director at the National Farmers’ Union of Scotland, says, “We recognise that wildcats remain Critically Endangered and the farming community in release areas will be keen to support these plans and identify how they can assist.”
The Saving Wildcats partnership plans to release up to 20 wildcats each year into the Cairngorms, and in the longer term wildcat releases will extend to other locations right across Scotland.
Scottish wildcats are the only native member of the cat family found in the wild in the UK.
Once roaming throughout the mainland, the wildcat has been persecuted for centuries and just a few hundred animals remain in northern Scotland.
Main image (captive): Without urgent action, the Scottish wildcat could become extinct. © David Tipling/Universal Images Group/Getty
