The Scottish Wildcat - on the verge of extinction

[Alan H]

http://www.scottishwildcats.co.uk/

The one hundred cats that they refer to on the website is an estimate of the number of non-hybrid cats left in the wild. It's the usual sad story of habitat degradation, but this time it's exacerbated by hybridization with feral housecats, which are a different species. In past years when I've posted this information, the collective XMarks the Scot response has been a massive yawn, akin to the disinterest shown by most on the site regarding the state of the natural environment in Scotland. I am curious if that still be the case.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/environ...dcat-1-3486596

This may be a stretch, but this whole point really struck me hard again, when I looked at creagdubh's pictures of his clan gathering, and there's a shot of the Chief posing with a.....stuffed wildcat. Are Scottish traditions endangered? If so, then how fitting is it that a picture of a Clan Chief of one of the Clans Chattan is taken with a stuffed animal representing a species which is on the verge of extinction?

If there was ever a cause that the Clans Chattan could get behind, IMHO, this is it.

[Tarheel]

Please don't assume any disrespect for this post. There is a rumor, myth or legend that the last documented Dodo birds were recorded in a small town 9 miles south of Oxford, MS around the late 1800's. I've since heard they were probably a hybrid Dodo and Guinea fowl raised by a farmer. As the story goes a group was dispatched from the local university with expert botanist and zoologist to look into the matter. The farmer hearing that he was to have company slaughtered the entire flock to serve as an entrée for his new guests. They were the biggest and best birds he had to feed such a large gathering. The irony of this story (if indeed it is true) is that the ignorant rednecks still thrive here in Mississippi. It hurts my heart that any species faces extinction especially a member of the feline genus but I doubt the Scots will be hindered except for the loss of a majestic creature. I could hope that the species would make magical resurgence like the Florida "Southern" panther has here my state or the red wolves reintroduced in my home state of NC. Your quest is an honorable one and you have my hands to aid you Si Je Puis "if I can" the Clan Coquhoun motto.

[creagdhubh]

Alan,

I would like to say at the outset, "thank you" for posting this thread. The more people we can inform about the severity of the situation in Scotland regarding the Scottish Wildcat, the better. Saving the Scottish Wildcat from near extinction, as well as protecting the last remaining numbers of the species, is something that is very near and dear to both the Clan Macpherson Association and the Clan Chattan Confederation of Clans. Both organisations have been advocates for the protection of this elusive beast native to the Scottish Highlands. We have partnered up with superb environmental organisations in Scotland in furtherence of Scottish Wildcat conservation and protection. The Highland Wildlife Park in Kingussie plays a vital role in all of this as well. Through their tireless efforts, they have attempted to breed and reintroduce Scottish Wildcats into their natural environment, as well as rehabilitating injured wildcats.

In regards to the Scottish Wildcat taxidermy that can be seen at Cluny's home of Newton Castle in Blairgowrie, it is quite old, I assure you. Does that make the current situation any better in regards to the survival of the Scottish Wildcat, no. However; I would argue that the Chief of the Clan Macpherson, whose crest is that of a Scottish Wildcat (as well as being the totem and talisman (sacred animal) of the clan, and the crest of Macpherson Chieftains and Armigers), standing next to the 19th century taxidermy of the Scottish Wildcat is not inappropriate. Yes, unfortunately, many Scottish Wildcats were hunted and killed in the distant past, especially during the 19th and early 20th centuries (the Victorians and Edwardians were notorious hunters of the Scottish Wildcat). Many of the pelts were made into full-mask sporrans, which is why you still see a handful of Macphersons, to include our Chief, wearing them to this day. However, these are very old sporrans that have been passed down through the generations by their ancestors, who had a much different attitude towards animal conservation. The wearing of them, nor the taxidermy models located at both Newton Castle and the Clan Macpherson Museum in Newtonmore, does not reflect a total disregard towards the conservation and protection of this endangered species. Quite the opposite, actually.

http://www.highlandwildlifepark.org....-wildcats/2656

http://www.highlandtiger.com/

http://www.scottishwildcats.co.uk/

http://www.wildcathaven.co.uk/

Cheers,

[Alan H]

Oh, I wasn't objecting to the stuffed animal as it surely was very old, indeed. I also have no objection to the sporrans either, if they were also very old. I would cry foul and raise a fit if a new Scottish Wildcat sporran was to appear, though.

I'm glad to hear that the Clans Chattan are aware of the situation and are helping in whatever way they can to improve it! The Wildcat is truly a gorgeous animal, totally aside from any Clan associations or history. Add in their influence on past generations and it would be a trajedy if the species were to disappear.

If indeed they are down to 35 animals, then the situation is beyond dire, as the genetic variation...statistically speaking... becomes untenable at around that number. There comes a point where interbreeding produces non-viable offspring. The Cheetah is an example of a feline species that is much like this. All extant cheetahs are VERY closely related to one another, indicating that the species went through a population bottleneck in the not-too-distant past. It would be tragic if the Scottish Wildcat had the same issue.

[Macman]

I was going to comment on Clan Chattan's efforts in this regard, but creagdhubh beat me to it and knows way more about it than I. I think it's a good example of what a clan association can do that can hopefully make a difference.

[Alan H]

BTW, thanks for those links, creagdubh. I didn't know about Wildcat Haven....that's a hell of a project, to humanely remove breeding housecats from 250 square miles of countryside.

I just donated 20 pounds to the Royal Zoological Society project - "Highland Tiger". It's not much but every nickel helps, eh? The cat is too gorgeous and too important to let go extinct.

[ThistleDown]

Alan, further to Kyle's posts, the Clan Chattan Association adopted a Felis Grampia kitten a few years ago and contributes annually to its support. It has bred and had kittens of its own at Kingussie, but when it was still very young this pic was taken. It is now used as the background for the Association's annual journal cover. My wife and I contribute separately to the Trust; others in my family do, as well.

I think the number 350 is more accurate than the 35 you quote but, even so, this makes it the most endangered species in Scotland and probably one of the world's most endangered cats.

[California Highlander]

Alan, I know the UK and US clan Mackintosh groups post quite a bit about the loss of habitat and hybridization of the Scottish wildcat, but it probably is not as interesting to the XMarkers a large, who are not Chattan/Macpherson/Mackintosh lines.

Interestingly it seems to me that hybridization is almost worse than habit loss for the wildcats. While many kilters are not totally interested, there are people who want to help the highland cat.

[Dughlas mor]

A very interesting and worthwhile thread. Alan and Kyle, thanks for the links. It looks like a tough battle for the Scottish wildcat, but it seems as though it still has a chance. Thanks to clan Chattan for their efforts.

[Calgacus]

Over the last few decades the awareness of such issues has steadily risen here in Scotland, though it is probably not widely known just how critically endangered the wildcat is. Hopefully the tide is turning however, and I sincerely hope that this beautiful animal can be pulled back from the brink.

As an aside, I once owned a cat that I always suspected was at least in part a wildcat hybrid. He was the offspring of a farm cat mother and an unknown father. He had most, but not all, of the distinctive wildcat features, and behaved quite differently to any other cat that I ever had.