BUMPER BREEDING SEASON AHEAD

Hi All

We hope you all enjoyed seeing the wonderful hunting behaviour in our last post and the fantastic press coverage it got on the BBC and STV. The focus is well and truly on the wild population and because of the coverage, we have 4 new wildcat leads to follow. We already have an image of a potential new wildcat, we are just waiting for some more views to score it, but it is looking good. And not surprisingly, all these new leads are in Aberdeenshire, in the vicinity of the Clashindarroch. There is no doubt whatsoever that Aberdeenshire is a real stronghold for the wildcat and the centre and foundation of this stronghold is the Clashindarroch Forest.

The Clashindarroch acts as a natural breeding population and a source of wildcats that can disperse into new areas. It is no coincidence that since we have really put the pressure on to stop the logging, that the number of new wildcat sightings has grown rapidly. Wildcat females can have 4 kittens and so with the right targeted conservation efforts in the wild, populations can rebound quickly. This is clearly happening and we have shown a steady stream of beautiful wildcats from all around Aberdeenshire. We know from the many thousands of Facebook likes and happy emails, that you enjoy seeing them as much as we do.

This year we are incredibly excited and predict a bumper breeding season. We hope for more wild kittens than ever. As a direct result of the pressure and constant monitoring we are able to carry out thanks to your support, we have seen virtually no logging whatsoever during the breeding season. You will remember that earlier in the year we saw some logging on private land adjacent to the Clashindarroch. However, we contacted them and they immediately stopped and crucially all the machinery has been removed. This breeding season is the quietest and least disturbed that we have ever managed to achieve. As we send this message, female kittens are able to nurture their priceless kittens in peace. That fills our hearts with joy and gives us great optimism for the future.

The wildcat is certainly not functionally extinct, the evidence is clear that the population is growing and that the Clashnindarroch forest remains by far the most important stronghold for the Scottish wildcat. This is why we fight, it simply must be saved. Our legal team are currently flat out preparing notes of argument, lodging documents with the court and preparing for the huge court case ahead. Our appeal will be heard in the Inner House of the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land. It is an appeal that we will put every ounce of effort in to win. We currently have 2 barristers and 2 law firms working on this, as well as ecological advisers who are experts in Environmental Impact Assessments. As you can imagine the bills mount up, especially when we have been fighting for well over 5 years.

If you want to support our fight and ensure that the Clashindarroch forest and it’s priceless wildcats are saved, then please support our crowdfunder. There is still a very long way to go and we need to be fully resourced to continue. Here is the link:

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/wildcats/

Keep watching for more updates to follow and we hope that the thought of all those kittens growing safely in their dens, brings a big smile to your face.

Thanks so much as always

Emily and the Wildcat Haven Team.