Thank you to everyone who signed up to our E-Newsletter! Through every sign up, we donated $2 per person to a cause we think is worth while. From the month of January - we donated to WildCRU’s ‘The Scottish Wildcat Project’
Read more about how we have supported this cause below
The Scottish Wildcat is listed endangered. The Wildcat is actually a European wildcat, populated now only in Scotland. This population is estimated between 1000 and 4000 individuals. However, only around 400 pure individuals. The Scottish Wildcat population used to be wildly distributed across Britain, but has declined drastically since the turn of the 20th century due to habitat loss, persecution and hybridization. It is now limited to north and west Scotland only.
Extensive hybridization with the domestic cat is thought to be one of the main threats facing this species and has resulted in difficulties in distinguishing wildcats from wildcat x domestic cat hybrids and feral tabby domestic cats. The lack of clear cut identification has resulted in problems with collecting ecological data on genetically pure wildcats. There is a real risk that hybridization will result in the genetic extinction of the Scottish wildcat.
What WildCRU are doing to help:
WildCRU’s current project on the Scottish wildcat looks at the basic ecology of the wildcat and the role GPS collars can play in adaptive conservation management of the Scottish wildcat.
WildCRU works closely with the SWCAP (Scottish Wildcat Conservation Action Plan) and GPS collars will be placed on wildcats in several of the Priority Areas. Here are some of the following objectives outlined:
Determine how wildcats react to adverse weather conditions and what implications this has.
Identify den sites and the characteristics that could result in their use e.g. cover, prey availability.
Hybridization hotspots outside the Priority Areas that could be targeted for Trap Neuter Vaccinate Return.
Identify potential risks to individual wildcats that could be mitigated through targeted action e.g. reduction of road traffic accidents across regular crossing points through wildlife bridges/tunnels.
Identification of den sites for monitoring and protection from harmful activities.
Identify small scale habitat use and activity within different habitats and use this data to map potential wildcat corridors between different wildcat priority areas that could be prioritised for future conservation efforts.
If you would like to help the Scottish Wildcat - Please follow this link to donate and read more: WildCRU / Scottish Wildcat Project