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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 3h

Thank you both so much for your support 🧡

Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 12h

Hill to Grill is back 🌲

We’ll be joining @cairngormsconnect.bsky.social for food and family-friendly activities celebrating our local landscape 🏔️

Come and see us at Nethy Bridge Playing Fields on Saturday 25 October, 11am-3pm ➡️ cairngormsconnect.org.uk/hill-to-grill

📸 Catriona Parmenter

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 1d

ALT: A young wildcat with striped markings stares intently, camouflaged among moss-covered rocks and branches, conveying alertness and curiosity.

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 1d

Wildcat kittens were thought to typically disperse from their mother around six months old 🐾

Since the first wild births to released females in 2024, the team have been monitoring the litters. It's been fascinating to record them dispersing from as early as four months old 🗓

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 1d

4/4 Prior to their release, if the wildcat is exhibiting all the required behaviours, they are given a thorough veterinary examination to ensure they are healthy. If the wildcats pass all of the critical criteria, they are then considered suitable for release 🧡

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 1d

3/4 The team record key behaviours such as hunting, finding shelter, and climbing, which are crucial for survival. They also want to see the wildcats avoiding interaction with the keepers when have to enter to carry out basic husbandry. Food is provided in variety of ways to encourage hunting.

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 1d

2/4 After that, they are moved into large, natural, open-top pre-release enclosures that are designed to encourage the wildcats to practice the skills they need for a life in the wild. Again, the keepers keep disturbance to a minimum. Instead, they are predominantly monitored by CCTV.

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 1d

1/4 Hi Freyja, great question! The kittens born in the conservation breeding for release centre stay with their mum for the first six months, learning key skills from her. During this time, interaction with keepers is kept to a minimum to reduce their exposure to people.

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 2d

Kitten cuddles to start the week on a pawsitive note 😻

As an experienced mother, Margaret is once again excelling herself as a nurturing parent.

Be part of Margaret's journey raising her kitten, who could be eligible for release into the wild in 2026 ➡️ savingwildcats.org.uk/sponsor

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 6d

We are aiming to make the film more widely available in 2026. To be kept up to date with information about future screenings, please sign up to receive our e-newsletter ➡️ savingwildcats.org.uk/join-us 🧡

Receive exclusive news

savingwildcats.org.uk

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 6d

And CUT 🎥

We've been thrilled to share the feature-length film, 'Clinging by a Claw' with audiences in Aviemore, Inverness and Edinburgh 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Produced by @scotlandtbp.bsky.social and supported by The European Nature Trust, this heart-warming documentary follows the wildcats' return to Scotland.

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 7d

Since 2023, we've been very grateful to those living alongside the released wildcats, as they adjust to a new life in the wild.

Wildcat-friendly businesses, such as Inshriach House and Glenmore Campsite, have engaged with us about wildcats on their land 🧡

📸 David Stothard

A female wildcat with a striped coat and alert expression stands amid tall green grass and scattered purple wildflowers, conveying a sense of alertness.

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 8d

When it's been a really long day of parenting...

You're doing a great job, Mama 🧡

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 9d

It is vital to have landowner permission to install cameras, so we're very grateful to have their support 🧡

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 9d

Camera traps have been crucial for monitoring the released wildcats 📸

Over 100 cameras, provided by @naturespy.bsky.social, are distributed across the project area. Not only do the images further our understanding of wildcat ecology, they give us deeper insight into other species too 🐾

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 11d

Happy International Zookeeper Day to Estelle, Rachel, Alex and Ben 🐾

These experienced, professional and dedicated individuals ensure that released wildcats are prepared for the challenges of life in the wild.

Thank you for everything that you do 🧡

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 12d

Wildcats have thick, dense winter coats to support them through challenging weather. Their outer layer of fur acts as a "raincoat", with a finer layer of "fleece" underneath 🧥

In cold weather, they can curl up and tuck their faces under their bushy tails to keep warm 😻

📸 Alan Sabatino

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 13d

Wildcats and the sport of shinty are both culturally important in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

And the Highland town of Newtonmore has a strong connection to both of them.

So, we are very proud to be sponsoring the match balls for the Newtonmore Camanachd Club's under 17s final this Saturday 🏑

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 14d

We're thrilled so many people came to see the film, and the team continue to be extremely grateful to the local community for their support of wildcat restoration in their area 🧡

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 14d

We want to say a huge THANK YOU to our local community for attending the premiere of 'Clinging by a Claw' in Aviemore last night 📽

As the feature-length film highlights, this approach to wildcat restoration in the Cairngorms National Park is only made possible by your incredible support 🎉

A full audience in a dimly lit theater listens attentively to a speaker on stage. The room is large, with purple walls and bright overhead lights.

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 15d

Is she a wildcat or a kangaroo? 🦘

Wildcat mothers nurse their young for around eight weeks, and the kittens may start to show interest in solid food as young as four weeks old.

That said, these little ones seem in no rush to move away from their mother's milk 🍼

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 16d

Like most cat species, wildcats are excellent climbers 🪵

Unsurprisingly (given her name), Skye spends much of her time off the ground in the conservation breeding for release centre ⛅️

Sponsor Skye to receive exclusive, behind-the-scenes updates ➡️ savingwildcats.org.uk/sponsor

Female wildcat with striped coat and distinctly-ringed tail stands alert on a tree branch in the conservation breeding for release centre. She is surrounded by purple flowers and intertwined branches.

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 20d

How is it nearly October?!

This year has been so busy that it's disappearing as quickly as the leaves are falling off the trees 🍂

Make sure you don’t miss a thing. Sign up to our e-newsletter, issued every two months ➡️ savingwildcats.org.uk/join-us

📸 David Stothard

Female wildcat with a distinctly-ringed tail stands on a lichen-covered log, surrounded by branches and greenery. Its alert eyes gaze back over it’s shoulder with a calm, curious expression.

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 21d

Saving Wildcats is collaboration between the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), @naturescot.bsky.social, Forestry and Land Scotland, @cairngormsnews.bsky.social, Nordens Ark, Junta de Andaluciá, @cairngormsconnect.bsky.social, and @catsprotection.bsky.social 🧡

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Saving Wildcats @saveourwildcats.bsky.social · 21d

You’ve been so patient… 😻

And now, we’re super excited to announce that there are kittens in the conservation breeding for release centre, based at @highlandwpark.bsky.social ‼️

Find out how they’re doing ➡️ savingwildcats.org.uk/caught-on-camera 🧡

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