great article on scottish wildcat

The opinions are a bit strong I think. I don't see any connection at all between Pandas kept at Edinburgh Zoo and the demise of (pure) Wildcats but I suppose he has to bring in this sort of contrast to make it readable.

What confuses me is where the figure of '35' remaining pure wildcats comes from? Obviously put out by Scottish conservation bodies, but how do they know for sure at this stage?

It seems that captive breeding of Scottish wildcats, if pure, could now also have an important role to play in supporting this critical wild population.
 
While it may be a bit strong it underlines how we fail at home to conserve our wildlife. The Scottish Heritage is still dragging its feet on a formal conservation program that involves the serious issue of hybridisation with domestic cats across its range. The estimated number of 35 pure-bred wild cats stems from surveys and data by the Scottish Wildcat Trust. And yes, like I have always viewed captive-breeding the very few Scots wild cats in captivity that are pure-bred is a valid method for species recovery.
 
The connection (between pandas and wildcats) is that the Scottish wildcat recovery program never got going because they could not afford 2 million pounds, yet they can afford 7 million pounds to house giant pandas. I realize the vague "they" I refer to are likely different entities, so maybe not a valid comparison. But what if the Edinburgh Zoo (which is putting up the panda money) had put the same amount of effort into promoting scottish wildcats instead. If they really worked the angle of national treasure, I bet they could have come up with a first rate educational exhibit and the 2 million needed to save the species.
 
Arizona Docent said:
The connection (between pandas and wildcats) is that the Scottish wildcat recovery program never got going because they could not afford 2 million pounds, yet they can afford 7 million pounds to house giant pandas. I realize the vague "they" I refer to are likely different entities, so maybe not a valid comparison. But what if the Edinburgh Zoo (which is putting up the panda money) had put the same amount of effort into promoting scottish wildcats instead. If they really worked the angle of national treasure, I bet they could have come up with a first rate educational exhibit and the 2 million needed to save the species.
Click to expand...

There is the Highland Wildlife Park.
 
Arizona Docent said:
The connection (between pandas and wildcats) is that the Scottish wildcat recovery program never got going because they could not afford 2 million pounds, yet they can afford 7 million pounds to house giant pandas. I realize the vague "they" I refer to are likely different entities, so maybe not a valid comparison.
Click to expand...

Yes, I can see the connection is stronger than I first thought, though of course two entirely separate bodies are involved, but I now think it is more of a valid contrast than I did at first.

Lets hope it really isn't too late for Scottish wildcats- they need to focus on breeding from the most pure captive stock and at the same time coming up with an effective programme of removing/neutering feral cats in the regions most able to support a future wildcat population. Until those cats are gone, there will always be the threat of more genetic hybridisation from domestic and impure cats.
 
Close to the Highland WP are the Cairngorms recently demonstrated to hold a purebred Scots wild cat population. I really do think / feel the HWP could be the nerve center for it all + an out station in Edinburgh Zoo as a city interpretation center drawing cash and visitors.

Bringing in some of the Scots wild cats from the wilds is part and parcel of a species recovery effort. Could be much like the black footed ferret programme in the US. Only in the UK one needs to eradicate / ahum neuter the hybridized and domestic cat population roaming the countryside.
 
Whilst the potential loss through hybridisation of our only remaining native felid is something that we need to act upon - and I can see trouble brewing with the welfarists , as a great many feral cats will need to be shot or otherwise euthanased - I'm still not sure that F.s. grampia is a good subspecies.

The IUCN, certainly, thinks that all European wildcats belong to one subspecies.
Felis silvestris (Wildcat, Wild Cat)
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Close to the Highland WP are the Cairngorms recently demonstrated to hold a purebred Scots wild cat population.
Click to expand...

I have a feeling the best chance for continued survival of the purest specimens lies further away in Wester Ross/Sutherland- these are the really remote areas of Scotland with even less human habitation.
I guess releases could be made into the Cairngorms, which has very suitable habitat too, but the feral cat problem remains- unless there was some sort of controlled zone where all domestic cats were eliminated. But as IanRobinson points out, any feral cat eradication scheme, even in the remotest areas, is bound to create a big hoohah from welfare groups etc, but that absolutely needs to be done before any reintroductions were made to give them a reasonable chance of longterm success.

Here its not so much a case, as with many species, of whether the reintroductions would work(I'm sure they would) but of whether longterm they could retain their purity.
 
Pertinax, the way I understand it the Cairngorms have been demonstrated to contain a pure-bred Scots wild cat population rather unexpectedly. So, I would not choose to release wild cats there ... it is one of the no no's in reintroductions.
 
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