😹😹

He's such an inspiration 🧡

4/4 With careful breeding and pre-release management, they have produced kittens that have been successfully released into the wild 🌄

Find out more ➡️ savingwildcats.org.uk/conservation-breeding

📸 Ben Nicholas

3/4 Individual wildcats were selected from the programme based on their genetics and were brought to Saving Wildcats’ dedicated conservation breeding for release centre, based at @highlandwpark.bsky.social.

2/4 By 2019, Scotland's wild-living population was facing genetic extinction. Thankfully, wildcats in over 30 zoos, wildlife parks and private facilities offered a lifeline, and the UK conservation breeding programme was formed 🧬

WildLand’s Activities Manager, Grant Shorten, enjoyed this rare moment before the well-groomed kitten vanished into the undergrowth 🌿

Saving Wildcats is incredibly grateful to WildLand for their ongoing support with wildcat releases.

2/2 The feature-length documentary, produced by @scotlandtbp.bsky.social,offers extraordinary insight into the journey of Scotland's wildcats from the brink of extinction to their return to the wilds of the Cairngorms National Park.

Get your tickets ➡️ www.antobarandmulltheatre.co.uk/whats-on/cli...

2/2 This crucial research can serve as a benchmark for future carnivore recovery programmes. The team hope it will also further long-term understanding of how captive management practices can contribute to a released animal’s survival in the wild 🌄

Read the research ➡️ www.jzar.org/jzar/article...

2/2 ...The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, and Agroecosystems Ltd.

Releases are conducted with the support of @cairngormsconnect.bsky.social.

1/2 Saving Wildcats is an @eu-life.bsky.social funded project, led by The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, in partnership with @naturescot.bsky.social, @cairngormsnews.bsky.social, Forestry and Land Scotland, Stiftelsen Nordens Ark, Junta de Andalucía, @catsprotection.bsky.social,