Wildcat’s debut on camera
BY ELEANOR BARLOW A SCOTTISH wildcat born at a zoo in August has been captured on camera for the first time.
Chester Zoo say the female kitten could offer a “lifeline for the species”.
Scottish wildcats are Britain’s rarest mammals. As few as 100 remain, according to some estimates.
Chester Zoo are part of Scottish Wildcat Action, a conservation group who hope to bring the “Highland tigers” back from the brink.
Curator of mammals Tim Rowlands said: “Unlike domestic cats, who can have several litters a year, Scottish wildcats will usually only have one, so every birth is really significant.
“It’s ever so special to see just how active the kitten already is and how she’s starting to practise the skills that these magnificent stealth hunters use to pounce on their prey.”