CLASHINDARROCH COURT DATE

Hi All

First of all, thanks so much for the hundreds of messages and comments across all our platforms after our last Finlay update. Like many of you, we have also shed tears of joy. If you missed it, it can be found on the update post before this one. We also have exciting news to share, that we have started surveying in a very remote and previously unsurveyed area of the Highlands. We are hopeful and confident of finding wildcats as the habitat is vast and perfect. Our project is becoming truly National and we will continue to update you as we go.

However, our current priority is the Clashindarroch court hearing. We can now tell you that the date is set for the 27th August, so less than 3 weeks away. Our appeal will be heard in the Inner house of the Court of Session, which is the highest court in the land. The stakes could not be higher. The Clashindarroch is without doubt the most important site for wildcats in Scotland and indeed, is arguably one of the most important wildlife sites in the UK, containing a multitude of protected species including pine martens, red squirrels, water voles, badgers, numerous protected bat species and much more.

Today our legal team of barristers and two law firms are currently working on documents to lodge with the court and as you can imagine, it is going to be an incredibly busy time in the run up to the hearing. We are highly motivated and extremely positive going into this hearing. Those precious wildcats will have a voice and it will be heard by the top legal minds in Scotland.

We must also gain encouragement from what we have achieved so far. The forest at the site has not been logged and because of our pressure, we have observed no logging at all taking place during this breeding season, across the whole forest. That is a massive result and the Clashindarroch still remains the main breeding hub in Aberdeenshire and an absolutely vital source population. We must ensure that it remains that way.

As you know, we will never give up and so we continue with pure hearts and fire in our bellies and a steely determination to make sure that the Clashindarroch and the priceless breeding population of wildcats is not destroyed.

We can only keep going with your generous support and that support is needed more than ever as the stakes and the level of court, continue to rise. As always you can support our legal crowdfunder at:

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

Oh and the figure shown on the crowdfunder is the total we have raised over 5 years. The remaining balance is only a fraction of that. 5 years of legal work across multiple work streams is of course not cheap but it has been vital to our conservation efforts. The procession of beautiful wildcats we have shown you, is testament to that.

Thank you so much, your support and enthusiasm fuel our determination.

We will keep you updated.

Very best wishes

Emily and the exceptionally busy Wildcat haven Team