A new video by National Geographic shows rescued orphan Scottish Wildcat kittens. These rare Scottish Wildcat kittens are a new generation which is vital for their species survival.
This is because Scottish Wildcats are critically endangered. Once they existed throughout the British Isles. However, due to heavy hunting and persecution by humans, particularly during the Victorian era, has resulted in the Wildcats becoming critically endangered.
They now only can be found in a small area of the Highlands of Scotland and their population is thought to be as low as just 35. Some conservationists think that there are only 35 individual Scottish Wildcats existing in the Highlands today.
This makes these animals particularly vulnerable to extinction.
Therefore, hope for this animals survival partly depends upon Scottish Wildcat kittens being born. The more Scottish Wildcat kittens are born, the more chance that this species has of survival.
Preserving their habitat is also vital to the Scottish Wildcats survival, without the preservation of their forest home, the Scottish Wildcat will become extinct. Their habitat (the forests of the highlands) is also under threat from being logged for wind farms. Something which conservationists think could result in the species becoming extinct.
Hope For The Scottish Wildcat
However, there is hope for the Scottish Wildcat. By preserving their forest habitat and successfully breeding these animals, could help them bounce back. They are in a similar position to what the Amur Leopard was.
The Amur Leopard was also on the brink of extinction; with only 45 of them remaining in the wild. However, their numbers have almost doubled due to successful conservation work - providing evidence that all hope is not lost for the Scottish Wildcat. If the Amur Leopard can successfully be brought back from the brink of extinction, then so can the Scottish Wildcat.
Here is a video of some rare Scottish Wildcat kittens: