CONSERVATION STATUS
The European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) is the last remaining native felid in the UK, becoming restricted to northern Scotland in the early 1900’s after intensive hunting, persecution and habitat loss. The population in Scotland was classified as Critically Endangered in 2022. The Scottish wildcat is threatened by hybridization with domestic cats, consequently, the wild-living cat population comprises a “hybrid swarm” where individuals have a mixture of domestic and wildcat genes and morphologies. Only wildcats are legally protected making protection and monitoring challenging.
WILDCRU APPROACH
WildCRU researchers work collaboratively with partners in Scotland, developing identification tools to support the identification of wildcats from hybrids and domestic cats and camera trapping as a survey method. They use GPS tracking to understand the behaviour and ecology of wildcat and wildcat hybrids, and spatial modelling approaches to help guide future conservation actions.
SCOTTISH WILDCAT RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS
Our research morphologically assessing 333 wild-living cats and radio tracking 31 wild-living cats led to the first Scottish Wildcat Conservation Action Plan in 2004 and the pelage assessment tool in 2005. Genetic assessments of 629 wild-living cats led to the development of the mtDNA test in 2007
Our large-scale survey, deploying 930 camera traps across 23 different sites in Northern Scotland for a combined survey effort of 38,753 trap nights, captured 44 wildcats, 62 hybrids and 96 domestic cats on camera. We generated new population density estimates (~160-300 wildcats)
Camera trap survey data was used to help select six Wildcat Priority Areas which were the focus of conservation actions undertaken by the government led Scottish Wildcat Conservation Action Plan (SWCAP) between 2013 -2019 and in the assessment of the current status of the species by the IUCN