Just 35 Scottish wildcat's left in the wild
- Thread starter Surroundx
- Start date
A classic case for a captive breeding programme. Trap as many cats as possible between Inverness and John o'Groats, deep six any with clear domestic moggy traits, hold the rest in captivity and do lots of DNA tests. Use the cats that pass the tests for a controlled breeding programme, with the cats currently held in captivity that also pass the tests.
Then build an electrified fence along the line of the Antonine Wall. Neuter all domestic cats north of the fence and shoot any feral cats that have escaped the traps. Then manage the release of selected animals.
I commend this idea to nice Mr Salmond - it will be a good use of oil money as it will create employment in the north of Scotland, improve the environment and give Scottish politicians something constructive to do for a change
Alan
Then build an electrified fence along the line of the Antonine Wall. Neuter all domestic cats north of the fence and shoot any feral cats that have escaped the traps. Then manage the release of selected animals.
I commend this idea to nice Mr Salmond - it will be a good use of oil money as it will create employment in the north of Scotland, improve the environment and give Scottish politicians something constructive to do for a change
Alan
It's not mentioned at all in the IUCN Redlist, which is unusual if it is a valid subspecies: Felis silvestris (Wildcat, Wild Cat)
In addition (Pierpaoli et al. 2003:2588) considers it under the nominate subspecies, Felis s. silvestris (Schreber, 1777).
Papers on this purported subspecies:
Balharry, D. & Daniels, M. J. (1998). Wild living cats in Scotland. Scottish Natural Heritage Research, Survey and Monitoring Report, No. 23. Perth and Edinburgh: Scottish Natural Heritage.
Beaumont, M., Barratt, E. M., Gottelli, D., Kitchener, A. C., Daniels, M. J., Pritchard, J. K. & Bruford, M. W. (2001). Genetic diversity and introgression in the Scottish wildcat. Mol. Ecol. 10: 319–336.
Corbett L. K. (1979). Feeding ecology and social organization of wildcats(Felis silvestris) and domestic cats(Felis catus) in Scotland. Unpublished PhD thesis: University of Aberdeen.
Daniels, M. J., Balharry, D., Hirst, D., Kitchener, A. C. & Aspinall, R. J. (1998). Morphological and pelage characteristics of wild living cats in Scotland: implications for defining the ‘wildcat’. J. Zool., (Lond.) 244: 231–247. [Abstract]
Daniels, M. J., Beaumont, M. A., Johnson, P. J., Balharry, D., Macdonald, D. W. & Barratt, E. (2001). Ecology and genetics of wild-living cats in the north-east of Scotland and the implications for the conservation of the wildcat. J. Appl. Ecol. 38: 146–161.
French, D., Corbett, L.K., Easterbee, N. (1988). Morphological discriminants of Scottish wildcats (Felis silvestris), domestic cats (F. catus) and their hybrids. Journal of Zoology 161: 75–123.
Kitchener, A. C. (1998). The Scottish wildcat – a cat with an identity crisis? Brit. Wildl. 9: 232–242.
Kitchener, A. C. & Easterbee, N. (1992). The taxonomic status of black wild felids in Scotland. J. Zool., Lond. 227: 342–346. [Abstract]
Kitchener, A. C., Yamaguchi, N., Ward, J. M., and macDonald, D. W. (2005). A diagnosis for the Scottish wildcat (Felis silvestris): a tool for conservation action for a critically-endangered felid. Animal Conservation 8: 223–237.
Macdonald, D. W., Daniels, M. J., Driscoll, C. A., Kitchener, A. C. and Yamaguchi, N. (2004). The Scottish Wildcat: analyses for conservation and an action plan. The Wildlife Conservation research unit, Oxford, UK.
Macdonald, D. W., Yamaguchi, N., Kitchener, A. C., Daniels, M., Kilshaw, K. and Driscoll, D. (year?). Reversing cryptic extinction: the history, present and future of the Scottish Wildcat. In: D.W. Macdonald and Loveridge A.C. (eds), Felid Biology and Conservation, Oxford University Press.
Miller. G. S. (1907). Some new European Insectivora and Carnivora. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 7th Ser. 20: 389–398.
Pierpaoli, M. et al. (2003). Genetic distinction of wildcat (Felis silvestris) populations in Europe, and hybridization with domestic cats in Hungary. Molecular Ecology 12: 2585–2598.
Reig, S., Daniels, M. J. & Macdonald, D. W. (2001). Craniometric differentiation within wild-living cats in Scotland using 3D morphometrics. J. Zool., (Lond.) 253: 121–132. [Abstract]
Tetley, H. (1941), On the Scottish Wild Cat. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, B111: 13–23. [Abstract]
Yamaguchi, N., Kitchener, A. C., Ward, J. M., Driscoll, C. A. & Macdonald, D. W. (2004). Craniological differentiation amongst wild-living cats (Felis silvestris) in Britain and southern Africa: natural variation or the effects of hybridisation? Anim. Conserv.
IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
A very valid query. As Surroundx shows, there's good evidence for doubting it.
It would be interesting to know just how many genetically pure poulations of "wildcats" there are in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. I fear that moggies doing what comes naturally, over some 2000 - 3000 years, has blurred most of them irretrievably.
johnstoni.
Well-Known Member
It will never be possible to separate feral/domestic/impure wild cats on the mainland without great cost and cruelty. Surely the best solution here would be to identify several large islands free of cats that could be used for 'marooning' the remaining individuals?
I also thought of that. Its what they have traditionally done in New Zealand to protect many of their vulnerable native species from predators, but this would be another valid usage. But the islands would need preferably to be sheltered and at least partially wooded, not bare, galeswept places, and would also need to support a decent range of prey species, as well as obviously being cat-free.. Are there some big Islands like that in e.g. Loch Lomond?
Regarding whether they are a genuine taxon or not, I think that is immaterial given this is the only form of Wildcat found in the British Isles, hence the intense concern over its status. I am not quite sure how they have come about this sudden 'crash' in the estimates of the surviving purebreds in the wild though- it is suddenly reduced from circa 400 to just 35, how come?
If that's genuinly the case then I think the purebreds kept in wildlife parks have an important role to play here, but they urgently need to get on with it.
Scotland is not short of islands. It seems that the wildcat is not native to any of them, except possibly Arran (see publications listed here Search the catalogue - Scottish Natural Heritage).
Introduction of genetically pure specimens to an island is possible, but as johnstoni has said it would need to be a large one to maintain a viable population of cats. The large islands are inhabited and I'm sure that they have domestic and possibly feral cats already. There are conservation problems too: remember the problems caused to nesting birds by the introduction of hedgehogs to North and South Uist - wildcats are unlikely to do less damage than hedgehogs
. The islands would have to be chosen carefully. Arran is a possibility, Jura might be large and underpopulated enough; I don't know much about the others. I suppose that technically it might be also possible to isolate a population on a western peninsula by a small-scale version of the tongue in cheek plan I suggested above.
Alan
Scotland is not short of islands. It seems that the wildcat is not native to any of them, except possibly Arran (see publications listed here Search the catalogue - Scottish Natural Heritage).
Introduction of genetically pure specimens to an island is possible, but as johnstoni has said it would need to be a large one to maintain a viable population of cats. The large islands are inhabited and I'm sure that they have domestic and possibly feral cats already. There are conservation problems too: remember the problems caused to nesting birds by the introduction of hedgehogs to North and South Uist - wildcats are unlikely to do less damage than hedgehogs
The islands would have to be chosen carefully. Arran is a possibility, Jura might be large and underpopulated enough; I don't know much about the others. I suppose that technically it might be also possible to isolate a population on a western peninsula by a small-scale version of the tongue in cheek plan I suggested above.
Alan
Arran would be a very good choice, as the sea around it has quite strong currents, meaning feral cats would have great difficulty reaching the island, but it is near enough to civilisation that it would be easy to maintain and observe any population of wildcats introduced. Another good choice would be the Small Isles of Muck, Canna, Rùm and Eigg.
Rhum might be good- there is already a lot of scientific work carried out on the Deer there. Not sure if there is sufficient shelter for these cats on the Inner Hebridean islands though, research shows that in mixed habitats they prefer woodland and stream-sides to pastureland or open moorland, so such open habitat might be sub-optimal for them.
That would rule out Jura - the bleakest place I've ever been to. It's no coincidence that George Orwell wrote 1984 while he was living at the remote north end of the island.
Alan
Eigg, along with Rùm, both have a reasonable degree of woodland if memory serves - and in the numbers of cats we'd be talking about, the small size of the island wouldn't be too much of an issue. One or two pairs on Eigg, maybe twice that on Rùm, and a minimum of 5 pairs on Arran - I think that would be a decent way of distributing things. Might be worth thinking of non-Scottish islands in the UK suitable for the purpose too.
They all sound pretty suitable in that case. I guess the more sheltered islands in some of the Scottish lochs are far too small for this purpose as the wildcats would need decent sized ranges to give them enough prey. And Wildcats are at home in open habitat too as they can den in rocks etc as well as tree roots etc.
I wonder exactly how many Scottish Wildcats in zoos/wildlife parks are considered as Pure. I also wonder how many of those might be made available to join such a programme if it was started.
I wonder exactly how many Scottish Wildcats in zoos/wildlife parks are considered as Pure. I also wonder how many of those might be made available to join such a programme if it was started.