'Enormous' wildcat found in Aberdeenshire forest

[Judi Lynn]

7 hours ago

One of the largest wildcats ever recorded in the world has been discovered by field workers in Aberdeenshire's Clashindarroch Forest.

Nicknamed the Clashindarroch Beast, it was captured on camera and is estimated to be 4ft (1.2m) from nose to tail.

The footage was gathered as part of a Scottish wildcat conservation project operating across the Highlands.

Remote traps are baited with food or scent, and anytime something passes in front of it the camera shoots video.

More:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-43555314

[pansypoo53219]

1. YAY! beware trophy dicks.

[hlthe2b]

2. wow.. that is sooooo cool. Please, please please don't let the hunters wipe them out

I find it so fascinating that a species like this could be lurking in Scotland or anywhere in the British Isles or Europe.

[Vogon_Glory]

3. My suspicion is that

It’s probably a mutation of an indigenous species that is probably trying to fill a vacant niche.

And there is a vacancy. Britain hasn’t had any wild lions for over 1000 years.

[TomSlick]

4. Nay.

The Scottish Wildcat is an indigenous species. It appears in the crests of several Scottish clans that were associated with the Clan Chattan confederacy.

The motto of the Clan MacPherson shows the cat with a front paw extended with the motto: "Na Bean Don Chat Gun Lamhainn." The motto usually appears in Broad Scots as "Touch Not the Cat Bot a Glove." A good translation to English is "Touch Not the Ungloved Cat," ie Don't touch the cat if it is showing its claws.

Alba gu brath!

[TomSlick]

5. The Scottish Wildcat is protected.

The biggest risk to the wildcat is breeding with feral domestic cats. A wildcat this large is good to see.

[eppur_se_muova]

6. What's the nickname for the nickname ?

Hope it's something more easily vocalized.

[csziggy]

7. Here is the site for Wildcat Haven which is working to save the Scottish Wildcat

https://www.wildcathaven.com/

The Scottish wildcat is a unique island population of the European wildcat isolated for the last 9,000 years by the English Channel. They are the largest of the wildcat family, which spreads across Europe, Africa and Asia, and can be up to twice the size of a domestic pet cat.

Their fur is much thicker than a domestic cat and displays distinctive unbroken black and brown stripes: spots, broken stripes or white fur are all indications of hybridisation (cross-mating) with domestic cats.



Another stand out feature is their thick banded tail, perfectly ringed with no dorsal stripe running off of the spine: imperfect rings or dorsal markings are again signs of hybridisation.

Like all cats they have retractable claws, exceptional night vision, part-colour day vision, superb hearing and a body form enabling excellent sprinting, pouncing and all-round power.

Scottish wildcats are a classic cat epitomising both the solitary, independent super-predator and the mysterious and wild spirit of the Highlands as few other animals can.
https://www.wildcathaven.com/wildcat/

They have different levels of support from Kitten to Prime: https://www.wildcathaven.com/buy-a-plot/

[htuttle]

8. No True Scottish Wildcat would ever be caught on camera