Highland Wildlife Park Highland Wildlife Park News 2022

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Special offer available for anyone planning a visit this month:

"As part of a special offer for the month of January, we are offering visitors 50% off admission as part of the Visit Scotland Days Out campaign. Use the code VSPARK2022 at checkout. Please note that the maximum discount value is £20 per ticket and the offer is subject to availability. Visits must be booked in advance on our website."
 
16 wildcats are being paired up for the first ever breeding season in the Saving Wildcats conservation breeding for release centre at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Highland Wildlife Park.

The European partnership project is working to restore Scotland’s critically endangered wildcat population by breeding and releasing them into the wild. Kittens from this season, which could be born as early as spring, will be among the first to be released in 2023:

Saving Wildcats conservation project gearing up for Valentine’s Day | Highland Wildlife Park
 
Quincey said:
16 wildcats are being paired up for the first ever breeding season in the Saving Wildcats conservation breeding for release centre at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Highland Wildlife Park.

The European partnership project is working to restore Scotland’s critically endangered wildcat population by breeding and releasing them into the wild. Kittens from this season, which could be born as early as spring, will be among the first to be released in 2023:

Saving Wildcats conservation project gearing up for Valentine’s Day | Highland Wildlife Park
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I am happy the project is taking off.

Any idea about the 16 wild cat fundering stock origins?
 
I am impressed with the wild cat programme. This is what I have previously advocated with endangered species captive breeding. Hopefully this will result in some superb kittens for a future release programme.
 
GaryA said:
I am impressed with the wild cat programme. This is what I have previously advocated with endangered species captive breeding. Hopefully this will result in some superb kittens for a future release programme.
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No doubt most, even all, of these cats carry a very small % of domestic blood, as the zoo population isn't considered pure. But its the best we have so they have no choice but to use stock with some impurity.
 
Pertinax said:
No doubt most, even all, of these cats carry a very small % of domestic blood, as the zoo population isn't considered pure. But its the best we have so they have no choice but to use stock with some impurity.
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I had thought that recent genetics and DNA studies had demonstrated there is no difference between Continental and Scottish wild cats and that F. s. grampial should be considered belonging to the nominate subspecies Felis sylvestris sylvestris. The IUCN SSC Felid SG considers them:
Subspecies Morphology Molecular Biogeography Certainty Comments Felis silvestris silvestris ++ ++ ++ Felis silvestris grampia + + + Doubtfully distinct Felis silvestris caucasica ++ o ++ Probably distinct

There only is a West - East cline with a glacial southern refugium.

SOURCE:
A) https://repository.si.edu/bitstream...e_Taxonomy_CatNews.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
B) https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2664.2001.00580.x


NOTE: I remain very happy that finally ex situ intensive captive-breeding is used to bring back the wild cats to the wilds of Scotland.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
I had thought that recent genetics and DNA studies had demonstrated there is no difference between Continental and Scottish wild cats and that F. s. grampial should be considered belonging to the nominate subspecies Felis sylvestris sylvestris. The IUCN SSC Felid SG considers them:
Subspecies Morphology Molecular Biogeography Certainty Comments Felis silvestris silvestris ++ ++ ++ Felis silvestris grampia + + + Doubtfully distinct Felis silvestris caucasica ++ o ++ Probably distinct

There only is a West - East cline with a glacial southern refugium.

SOURCE:
A) https://repository.si.edu/bitstream...e_Taxonomy_CatNews.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
B) https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2664.2001.00580.x


NOTE: I remain very happy that finally ex situ intensive captive-breeding is used to bring back the wild cats to the wilds of Scotland.
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Given the choice of using existing 'grampia' (scottish) specimens already in UK zoos,(+ including some they already hold themselves), or a further delay in selecting/importing available continental ones which may be of more unsullied purity, no doubt they have elected to follow the easier route, using the ones that can more easily be sourced in the UK. They needed them now as its the start of the mating season, in order to have kittens produced in the spring. Presumably they are making up 8 new pairs in their specially built offshow breeding areas.
 
Pertinax said:
Given the choice of using existing 'grampia' (scottish) specimens already in UK zoos,(+ including some they already hold themselves), or a further delay in selecting/importing available continental ones which may be of more unsullied purity, no doubt they have elected to follow the easier route, using the ones that can more easily be sourced in the UK. They needed them now as its the start of the mating season, in order to have kittens produced in the spring. Presumably they are making up 8 new pairs in their specially built offshow breeding areas.
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@Pertinax, you know I am a purist well versed in reintroduction biology and concepts. If the purebred source exists, use the real thing. I do realise there are all sorts of practicalities involved that make this a rather complex issue.
 
If we accept that genetically, Scottish wild cats are no different to the European subspecies, that does rather negate the captive breeding projects, other than to maintain/increase numbers.

I imagine it is nigh on impossible to keep them completely pure due to the similarity to domestic cats, and the limitless breeding opportunities!

However, that doesn't negate the efforts to do so. I have a real love for the Highland Tiger-I really hope this works out.
 
I believe a male is also arriving/has arrived from Five Sisters Zoo.

As to the subspecific discussion, I believe the general consensus that F. s. grampia is not a valid subspecies. However, it is also an isolated population, increasingly due to human activity, meaning there are probably regionally unique or abundant alleles, so the population should be protected and increase for genetic health. However, I agree, and I think most do, a pure population is almost impossible due to domestic cats.
 
New Blog:

Around the world, many invertebrate species are suffering major population crashes. Despite making up around 77% of species known to science and fulfilling vital roles in ecosystems and food production, these tiny species are frequently overlooked by conservation programmes.

Here at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) we’re using the expertise at both our zoos, Highland Wildlife Park and Edinburgh Zoo, to pull the critically endangered pine hoverfly back from the brink of extinction:

RZSS takes a huge step forward in saving pine hoverflies from extinction in Britain | Highland Wildlife Park
 
WhistlingKite24 said:
The polar bear cub has been confirmed as male: It’s a boy! Polar bear cub’s first health check at Highland Wildlife Park | Highland Wildlife Park
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Spoke to a member of staff today and it’ll be on show to the public mid March at the earliest and they’re expecting it to bring in a lot of visitors. Also, today was the new female elk’s last day of quarantine. Also I’m not sure if it’s been mentioned but the white-lipped deer are now in the paddocks on the way to polar bear hill.
 
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