NO PEACE FOR ANY WILDCAT KITTENS

Hi All

We have had a very exciting and productive field work season and are finding new wildcats in new areas. Do not be fooled by the PR agenda put out by the government, that the Scottish wildcat is functionally extinct and beyond saving in the wild.

We very recently decided to look around some of the forests surrounding our core study area of the Clashindarroch. We entered Gartly forest which is very close to the Clashindarroch and owned by the Forestry and Land Scotland. It is known to contain wildcats and multiple scientific publications have made reference to this site. As we were driving through we heard the noise of machinery and to our disbelief this is what we saw. A vast pile of logs and heavy machinery moving them around. This is a known wildcat area, it is the time of the breeding season when young kittens will be in their dens. It is therefore a time of peak sensitivity. Rather than peace, any females in the area are exposed to this. It must terrifying for any denning female who is left with 3 awful choices. Abandon her kittens, eat them to reabsorb nutrients or try to move them, but to where. Can you imagine the stress this would cause to a denning female. There were other vehicles in the area so there is massive disturbance going on.

When is the government going to leave these animals in peace to breed without disturbance. All we hear from them is hollow words, that best practice is being followed and that areas are surveyed beforehand. Yeah right. The reality is in these photos. Forestry operations on a large scale right at peak kitten time.

We will be following this up with Forestry and land Scotland and with Ministers.

It is just so wrong on every level. Meanwhile there is huge fanfare about some zoo kittens being released into the Cairngorms whilst simultaneously wildcat habitat is being destroyed and free living wildcats disturbed. You couldn’t make it up. Just exploitation.

We continue to be the only organisation looking for and trying to conserve the beautiful Scottish wildcat in the wild where it belongs. We can’t do it without your support.

We will keep you all posted on developments. Thanks for your support and keep watching.

The Wildcat Haven Team.