Scottish wildcats are also known as European wildcats and although they are not classed as endangered in Europe, in Scotland there are thought to be about only 200 left making them critically endangered in the UK.
It is currently illegal to capture or kill a wildcat in Scotland, though some are persecuted by land owners who kill them mistaking them for feral cats that take their domestic fowl
They are elusive hunters sticking to the highlands of Scotland where they prey on rabbits, hares and other small mammals.
Our two females are called Skye and Jura, they came to the park in 2018. We are planning to get a male in the near future to start a breeding programme that could result in reintroductions into the wild in the future.
Scientific Name::
Felis silvestris
Status::
Least concern
Size::
Average 56cm head & body length, tail measures 29cm.
Weight::
Adult males 5kg, females 4kg
Life Span::
7 years in the wild, 15 in captivity
Habitat::
Forest and woodlands
Diet::
Carnivore
