In Scotland, experts are using 72 special cameras to watch over rare wildcats. The animals live in safe enclosures in the Cairngorms while preparing for release into the wild. The cameras let scientists check if the cats are healthy, active, and learning to hunt without getting comfortable around humans.
This conservation project has already released 46 wildcats into the wild, where females have given birth to at least 20 litters of kittens since 2024. This year, cameras even captured a wildcat giving birth for the first time. After release, scientists continue tracking the cats using camera traps and special radio collars.
In 2018, scientists warned that Scottish wildcats were close to disappearing completely. To help the species survive long term, experts plan to introduce wildcats to other areas in Scotland over the next five years. Creating wildcat groups in multiple locations helps protect them from extreme weather, major floods, and forest fires linked to climate change.
Local land owners and members of the public are also helping by reporting sightings. One released cat, named Sully, was even filmed swimming across a wide river. Experts emphasize that wildcats are Britain's only native wild cat species, and these high-tech efforts are crucial to restoring them to their natural habitat.