Wildcats could make a return to woodlands in south-west England
Wildcats could return to parts of England after a two-year study found there is now enough habitat and public support for them to be reintroduced.
Conservationists have determined that there is sufficient woodland in the South West to support a thriving wildcat population; Land in the middle of Devon has been suggested as the ideal spot for the return of wildcats.
The vast majority of local people supported reintroducing the UK’s most threatened mammals to the area where they once roamed. A survey by the University of Exeter found that 71 per cent of 1,000 people surveyed in the South West liked the idea of wildcats returning.
In another survey, also conducted by the university, more than four-fifths (83 per cent) of 1,425 respondents to the online survey expressed support for their reintroduction.
Feral cats don’t just pose a threat to humans, pets or lambs; There is also little risk to other endangered animals such as bats or dormouses. Poultry can be protected using the same precautions used to protect them from foxes.
Wildcats were historically referred to as jungle cats due to their presence in forested areas. They were particularly dominant in the South West, with a presence on Exmoor in the late 1920s, but have disappeared due to hunting and habitat destruction.
Cath Jeffs, from Devon Wildlife Trust, which leads the South West Wildcat Project, said: “It’s exciting that this report suggests that wildcats may once again be part of the landscape of the region.
“The return of this critically endangered species will be another step in the restoration of our local wildlife and will help rebalance local ecosystems.
“They are endangered, why not bring them back, they were here, the reason they are not here is because of persecution, it is part of our natural heritage.”
The reintroduction will likely see the release of at least 50 wildcats over a period of time.
Wildcats are Britain’s only remaining native cat species and are “critically endangered”, with as few as 115 remaining in the wild in their last refuge in the Highlands. Although they resemble the domestic tabby cat, they have a much larger, stockier and blunt-tipped tail.
According to the University of Exeter report, wildcat diets concentrate on common and widely available species; 75 percent of their prey consists of small mammals such as field mice, rats, wood mice and rabbits.
Environmentalists hope that they can restore the “balance” of the ecological cycle by fulfilling their roles as predators and reducing the population of destructive animals such as non-native gray squirrels to ensure the diversity of woodland wildlife.
But Ms Jeffs explained: “There is still a lot of work to be done before the first wildcats are released in the South West.”
He added that discussions with stakeholders such as farmers and the shooting community will be important.
There are no immediate plans to release the wildcats but Devon Wildlife Trust said its partners were committed to developing plans for their reintroduction, including providing funding for the programme.
