AssetID: 53123858
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Wildcats Reintroduced Into Scotland's Cairngorm Mountains
Caption: Wildcats are roaming Scotland again after 19 were reintroduced into the Cairngorms National Park and the Cairngorms Connect landscape throughout the summer. Saving Wildcats, a conservation effort spearheaded by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) in collaboration with NatureScot, Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), The Cairngorms National Park Authority, Nordens Ark, and Consejería de Sostenibilidad, Medio Ambiente y Economía Azul de la Junta de Andalucía, has completed the first phase of their reintroduction. The area’s feline residents have been closely monitored using GPS-radio collars, providing crucial insights into their behaviour and habitat preferences. Dr Keri Langridge, Saving Wildcats In-Situ Conservation Manager who is leading the tracking, said, “Most individuals have stayed relatively local to the release locations so far, while others have explored more widely across Badenoch and Strathspey. The cats are typically using a mixture of rough grassland, mixed woodland and riparian habitats, which provide prey such as mice and voles, as well as cover to hide from disturbance threats, including people and dogs. “Camera traps which we have positioned across the release sites have also recorded videos of the animals exhibiting positive behaviours such as hunting prey.” While sightings of these elusive creatures are rare, the public has been urged not to disclose any locations where they may have spotted wildcats. Wildcats are protected by law, and disturbing them or their den sites is an offence. Dr Helen Senn, Project Lead for Saving Wildcats and RZSS's Head of Science and Conservation Programmes, added: “It is still very early in the process but the first release of wildcats into Britain has been a success so far. Life in the wild is full of risks and while most of the released wildcats are currently doing well, we must remember that these are now wild animals that are likely to face significant challenges as we move into winter, with extreme weather and a decline in natural prey expected.” The Saving Wildcats field team has documented one mortality since the commencement of this year's releases. Helen stressed that it is uncommon for all released wildcats to survive the first year, even with careful preparations. The deceased wildcat was found to have succumbed to peritonitis, an abdominal infection, after a post-mortem examination. The release strategy involved a 'soft-release' approach, which included an acclimatisation period within the intended habitat. Conservationists temporarily relocated the wildcats from RZSS's Highland Wildlife Park to enclosures within Cairngorms Connect before their eventual release. Studies have indicated that such measures can reduce stress and post-release mortality. The Saving Wildcats project also involves engagement with landowners, land managers, ground staff, and local communities where the wildcats now roam. Landowners who share their properties with these wildcats are collaborating with the project, and the movement of these elusive creatures is being closely monitored. As a testament to the project's success, 13 kittens were born in the Saving Wildcats conservation breeding for release centre at RZSS's Highland Wildlife Park this year. These kittens, once reaching six to eight months of age, will be transferred to pre-release enclosures in preparation for their reintroduction into the wild in the summer of 2024.
Keywords: wild cats,feline,cats,animals,feature,video,photo,scotland,rewilding,cairngorms
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