Saving Wildcats partnership monitors captive breeding for Cairngorms release

The Saving Wildcats partnership, a collaborative effort between Scottish Natural Heritage, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and several local wildlife charities, is closely monitoring a new cohort of captive‑bred Scottish wildcats slated for release into the Cairngorms National Park. The program follows a three‑year breeding initiative that has produced 12 healthy juveniles, each genetically screened to ensure purity of the native wildcat lineage and to minimise the risk of hybridisation with domestic cats.

Field teams will begin soft‑release trials later this month, using pre‑release enclosures that simulate the park’s heather‑dominated habitats. Continuous radio‑telemetry and camera‑trap surveillance will track the animals’ movements, survival rates and interactions with existing wildlife. The partnership aims to establish a self‑sustaining wildcat population in the Cairngorms, contributing to the species’ long‑term recovery and enhancing biodiversity across the Scottish Highlands.