Scottish Wildcat

Dicerorhinus said:
If these are phenotype based estimates I suspect it's already too late.
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"A team from the Scottish Wildcat Association (SWA) has now reviewed 2,000 records ... to assess the number of remaining pure-bred cats, based on accepted coat markings that identify a true wildcat."

So it looks like it was mostly a phenotypic assessment. (surely any pure-looking roadkill would be genetically tested?)

You raise an interesting point. I don't know how accurately phenotype conveys dilution in this case, but I hope it's extremely accurate for the cats' sake.


TeaLovingDave said:
I'm reasonably sure that the ones at Highland Wildlife Park have been successfully tested as pure.
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A little reassuring. Do you know how roughly how many unrelated cats they have?

Time to start a new captive population, maybe?
 
devilfish said:
A little reassuring. Do you know how roughly how many unrelated cats they have?

Time to start a new captive population, maybe?
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They have two breeding pairs onshow. All four individuals are wild-caught purebreds as I recall, so I'm not sure exactly how related or unrelated they are as this would depend on the exact provenance of each. Both breeding pairs have had reproductive success this year - one pair had two kittens, and I *think* the other pair had three - and have bred in the past.

I wouldn't be surprised if they had more individuals held offshow.
 
A really do think / feel only captive breeding for pure-bred Scottish wild cats and a full capture / eradication programme for all hybrids is the only long term viable solution for the species. This ofcourse stands with a reliable testing method for pure-breds vs. hybrids.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
A really do think / feel only captive breeding for pure-bred Scottish wild cats and a full capture / eradication programme for all hybrids is the only long term viable solution for the species. This ofcourse stands with a reliable testing method for pure-breds vs. hybrids.
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I reckon you're right - possibly starting with re-introduction to offshore islands, as these are easier to render feral-free.
 
TeaLovingDave said:
They have two breeding pairs onshow. All four individuals are wild-caught purebreds as I recall, so I'm not sure exactly how related or unrelated they are as this would depend on the exact provenance of each. Both breeding pairs have had reproductive success this year - one pair had two kittens, and I *think* the other pair had three - and have bred in the past.

I wouldn't be surprised if they had more individuals held offshow.
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Thanks.


Kifaru Bwana said:
A really do think / feel only captive breeding for pure-bred Scottish wild cats and a full capture / eradication programme for all hybrids is the only long term viable solution for the species. This ofcourse stands with a reliable testing method for pure-breds vs. hybrids.
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I agree, but I doubt it'll be ethically justifiable (if at all) to kill wildcats which are more than just a few generations from a domestic ancestor. The question of how to prevent interbreeding between domestics and 'pure' wildcat populations in the future also arises. Either way, the solution will be highly controversial.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
A really do think / feel only captive breeding for pure-bred Scottish wild cats and a full capture / eradication programme for all hybrids is the only long term viable solution for the species. This ofcourse stands with a reliable testing method for pure-breds vs. hybrids.
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Several big problems with this scenario (and I'm guessing none of this is new to you or most other readers). Firstly it is difficult to get zoos on board about their 'own' threatened species when most people, including zoo people, just see a large ill-tempered tabby. I speak from experience having worked with them (and they aren't all ill-tempered!). They just aren't Wow! factor for most places, nor particularly exciting captive subjects.
Secondly the question of what is a pure wildcat versus a cross-bred individual still hangs over the species. I have only ever heard of the use of phenotype matching for wildcats, which to be honest means bugger-all unless you believe the expert. Possibly skull measurements can be made and compared, but that doesn't help the individual at the time (ie. post mortem). I have heard the same problem with dingoes and dog crosses in Australia too. Problem stems from the species being very close to the ancestry of the domesticated version.
Thirdly eradication won't happen. The problem of cross-breeds is due to moggies moving away from home and they outnumber their wild bretheren almost completely. So you could have cat-lovers and the RSPCA and assorted organisations jumping up and down about the unnecessary slaughtering of the nation's favourite/second favourite pet, particularly if no wild ones exist.
Fourthly they are difficult to find. The terrain is difficult but also most people that even live in the remotest part of highland Scotland have never seen one.
Fifthly is cost. No government is going to sanction the slaughter of cats to protect... a cat. Well not in the UK. Badgers and foxes, yes. Cats, no. It just won't happen.
'Scottish' wild cats are doomed and have always been so. Thankfully they are exactly the same as their other European counterparts, so worst case scenario, we could import some fresh bloodlines into the country. Assuming they haven't been polluted by domestic cat genes...
 
tetrapod said:
Several big problems with this scenario (and I'm guessing none of this is new to you or most other readers). Firstly it is difficult to get zoos on board about their 'own' threatened species when most people, including zoo people, just see a large ill-tempered tabby. I speak from experience having worked with them (and they aren't all ill-tempered!). They just aren't Wow! factor for most places, nor particularly exciting captive subjects.
Secondly the question of what is a pure wildcat versus a cross-bred individual still hangs over the species. I have only ever heard of the use of phenotype matching for wildcats, which to be honest means bugger-all unless you believe the expert. Possibly skull measurements can be made and compared, but that doesn't help the individual at the time (ie. post mortem). I have heard the same problem with dingoes and dog crosses in Australia too. Problem stems from the species being very close to the ancestry of the domesticated version.
Thirdly eradication won't happen. The problem of cross-breeds is due to moggies moving away from home and they outnumber their wild bretheren almost completely. So you could have cat-lovers and the RSPCA and assorted organisations jumping up and down about the unnecessary slaughtering of the nation's favourite/second favourite pet, particularly if no wild ones exist.
Fourthly they are difficult to find. The terrain is difficult but also most people that even live in the remotest part of highland Scotland have never seen one.
Fifthly is cost. No government is going to sanction the slaughter of cats to protect... a cat. Well not in the UK. Badgers and foxes, yes. Cats, no. It just won't happen.
'Scottish' wild cats are doomed and have always been so. Thankfully they are exactly the same as their other European counterparts, so worst case scenario, we could import some fresh bloodlines into the country. Assuming they haven't been polluted by domestic cat genes...
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Surely there are museum specimens that are documented as being from remote areas and at least 150 years old. It should not be impossible to establish the genotype of true wild cats to compare with modern specimens.

Alan
 
tetrapod said:
They just aren't Wow! factor for most places, nor particularly exciting captive subjects.
That bit is certainly true. I think the image of the beleaguered wildcat stalking the glens of Scotland and in danger of dying out, is a lot more powerful than the reality of the animal in captivity. The New Forest Wildlife Park have quite a few Scottish Wildcats- perhaps of varying purity by the look of them- and I watched visitors' reactions to them- mostly they walked straight past as they didn't really notice them, although several cats were out and active.
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there is work being done at the moment on wildcats to verify there genetics in captivity. There are quite a few that are of mixed decent, as soon as i knw more will post
 
Animalchap said:
there is work being done at the moment on wildcats to verify there genetics in captivity. There are quite a few that are of mixed decent, as soon as i knw more will post
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Any sources/links would be helpful if you can post them. Wildcats in UK zoos are rather a mixed bunch, some evidently pure, some not.
 
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