In a major first for a project drive to bushel the universe of wildcats in Scotland , at least two females have give birthing in the natural state – and the footage of their kittens is as “ awwww”-inducing as you ’d expect .
Last year , 19 captive - cover brute were released into Scotland ’s Cairngorms National Park by Saving Wildcats , a task led by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland that aims to recover the critically endangered Scottish population of the European beast ( Felis silvestris silvestris ) .
The projection squad has now announced that at least two of the female wildcats liberate have impart parturition , having capture the mothers and kittens on camera .
Ok wildcat mom, keep your secrets.Image credit: Saving Wildcats
“ We suspected that some of the females had given birth when their movement and activity changed very suddenly but did n’t eff for sure until footage of the kitten was catch on our tv camera , ” say Dr Keri Langridge , the field managing director for Saving Wildcats , in astatement .
“ With the support of local property owner , gamekeepers and the local community , our discipline team has successfully deal to supervise and film these kitty in the wilderness – which is no simple undertaking . We have taken extreme care not to disturb the female parent and kitty . ”
What ’s not yet known is who the baby daddies are . Though it ’s hop they ’re fellow beast , there ’s a danger that the mother may have interbreed withdomestic cats – generally considered to be thebiggest threatto the survival of the wildcat universe in Scotland .
“ While we have it off from their GPS - radio receiver collar that the two females that have given birth have overlapped with male wildcats , we do not yet know their paternity , ” articulate Dr Helen Senn , Saving Wildcats ’ lead .
“ Once the wildcat are previous enough , we will assay to get aDNAprofile from them . We are hopeful that they are indeed the materialization of manlike wildcats that were released last class – and the first of many more to come . ”
Wildcats were once widespread in Scotland , first having made their way over to Britain from mainland Europe around 9,000 years ago and get cohere whenDoggerlanddisappeared beneath the sea .
However , habitat personnel casualty and hunting had already gone a farsighted way to cut wildcat numbers game by the remnant of the 19thcentury – and in the century that follow , interbreeding and the spread of disease from feral domesticated cats also contain a heavy toll . By 2019 , the Scottish wildcat was considered to be on thebrink of extinctionin the natural state .
It ’s go for that the birthing of wildcat kittens in their aboriginal home ground is only the first in a series of successful step to bring them back from that ledge .
“ This is a major milepost for wildcat recovery in Scotland , ” said Senn . “ These birthing demonstrate that the cognitive process of breeding wildcats for release into the wild is working , as those free animals have instruct to hound and make it – and now reproduce in their first breeding season , a absolved meter reading that they are doing well . ”
“ While the mortality rate for wildcat kitty in their first year of life can be eminent , ” Senn added , “ we are hopeful for the future of these kitty . ”
