IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Kilshaw, K. | |
| Scottish wildcats | |
| 2011 Full Book | |
The Scottish wildcat _Felis silvestris grampia_ is the only native member of the cat family living in the UK today. It is believed to be a descendant of continental European wildcat ancestors (_Felis silvestris_), that colonized Britain after the last Ice Age (7,000-9,000 years ago). The earliest fossil remains of the wildcat were found in Berkshire. After the Ice Age, the wildcat was found across mainland Britain and some of the Inner Hebrides including the Isle of Skye and Bute. However, when Britain's forests began to recede as a result of deforestation, the wildcat disappeared from much of its range. By 1800 it was already restricted to northern England, Wales (where it was scarce) and Scotland. By 1850 it had almost disappeared from west central Wales and was just south of the border in Northumberland. By 1880 the wildcat survived only in Scotland, and by 1915 its range had further contracted and was restricted to the north-west of the Scottish Highlands. The initial decline of the Scottish wildcat occurred partly because of habitat loss, particularly the loss of forests, and partly as a result of being hunted for its fur and being persecuted. In particular, the development of sporting estates in Scotland from the mid -19th century onwards increased the rate of decline because the wildcat was shot as part of the game bird predator control carried out on many estates. The Scottish wildcat is now found only in northern Scotland. |
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