Reintroduction of the Scottish wildcat (Felis silvestris grampia): A feasibility study of the Argyll area

Abstract

The Scottish wildcat is a feline native to the UK. As numbers have dramatically declined over recent centuries the idea of captive breeding for reintroduction is increasingly appealing. This study investigates the concept of Argyll, Scotland being a feasible place for reintroduction of the Scottish wildcat. For this to take place numerous factors need to be considered beforehand. The investigation looks into a variety of factors that need to be considered in relation to reintroduction including the habitat and food sources along with the proximity to humans. Field data was collected from the Glasdrum Wood National Nature Reserve and used alongside maps of Argyll to establish the overall suitability of the area for wildcat reintroduction. As no research is currently being undertaken into wildcat reintroduction it was not known what the results of the research would show.
Overall the study indicates that the Argyll area of Scotland is not suitable for wildcat reintroduction. The research indicates that while the habitat, vegetation and proximity to humans were all suitable for wildcat habitation, prey populations were too low to be sustainable. The prey populations would suffer from wildcat reintroduction which would in turn affect both the wildcat and other carnivorous species found in the area.