Wildcats bred in captivity released into Cairngorms

Scottish wildcats bred successful captivity person been released into the UK's biggest nationalist parkland successful a bid to prevention the critically endangered species.

It is the archetypal successful a bid of proceedings releases astatine undisclosed locations successful the Cairngorms.

The Saving Wildcats task began introducing the 22 cats to the parkland past week.

Previous probe concluded the taxon was "functionally extinct" successful the wild, partially owed to breeding with feral cats.

Disease and situation nonaccomplishment person besides been blamed for reducing their numbers.

Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), which is starring the Saving Wildcats partnership, volition show the released wildcats utilizing GPS-radio collars.

About 60 wildcats volition beryllium released implicit the adjacent 3 years.

The task was approved nether licence by NatureScot and is the first-ever conservation translocation of wildcats successful Britain.

Saving Wildcat's David Field: "The clip is present to springiness the 'Highland Tiger' the champion accidental of endurance and I americium thankful for the enactment of our squad members, partners and supporters successful making this happen.

"I americium besides peculiarly grateful for the enactment of our section assemblage successful the Cairngorms as, without their engagement, we would not person reached this breathtaking milestone."

Biodiversity Minister Lorna Slater said wildcats were a much-loved autochthonal taxon successful Scotland, but its beingness was nether threat.

She said: "Reversing the melodramatic losses successful quality that we person seen successful caller times is 1 of the defining challenges that our state faces.

"The Scottish authorities remains committed to this combat and is actively moving towards protecting and restoring our earthy situation and the animals that trust upon it."

The task has enactment from bodies including Cairngorms National Park Authority and Forestry and Land Scotland.