Deforestation in the Clashindaroch forest, in the Scottish highlands, still continues today. The Scottish government has given the go-ahead for the Clashindarroch forest - home of the critically endangered Scottish Wildcat - to be destroyed to make way for wind farms.
A few days ago I wrote about how there could be more deforestation in store for the Clashindarroch forest to make way for wind farms - this would be disastrous for Scottish Wildcats, as it would be destroying one of the last few places they exist in today.
New Footage Of The Scottish Wildcat
New footage by Wildcat Haven shows that Scottish Wildcats are living within the Clashindarroch forest. Our most critically endangered animal here in Scotland is currently living within a forest that is being destroyed with the approval of the Scottish government.
Fears have been raised for over a year now about the deforestation of the Clashindarroch forest for wind farms and its impact on our critically endangered Scottish Wildcats.
Wildcat Haven said last year about the deforestation:
"This is the last viable population of Scottish wildcats left anywhere, and Forestry Commission Scotland, whilst publicly claiming to be protecting them, are actively chopping down their home around them. It's a national scandal; we're at risk of losing our iconic wildcat to these thoughtless actions."
There are thought to be one third of the Scottish Wildcat population existing in the Clashindarroch forest. There are only thought to be around 30 individual Scottish Wildcats in total living in the wild today in Scotland, so they are very vulnerable to extinction. They are now even more vulnerable to extinction because their habitat is being destroyed to make way for wind farms in the Clashindarroch forest.
Wildcat Haven have produced video evidence that Scottish Wildcats live within the Clashindarroch forest. The new footage they have released provides more evidence that Scottish Wildcats are currently living within the forest, as does footage released last month from Wildcat Haven, which also provides evidence that Scottish Wildcats are living within the Clashindarroch forest. However, the population of Scottish Wildcats are in danger of becoming extinct in Clashindarroch due to deforestation.
It is both scandalous, and heartbreaking that our most endangered wild animal - the Scottish Wildcat - is having their home destroyed, and as a result, they are being pushed into extinction because their numbers are so low. Our government should be protecting our most endangered animals, and their habitat - not destroying them and pushing them towards extinction.
The Scottish Wildcat was given protection by the UK government in the 1980’s through the UK Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. However, since then, environmental laws have been devolved to the Scottish parliament and it is now up to the Scottish government to protect and govern wildlife - something which they are and have failed at when it comes to the Scottish Wildcat. The UK government's protection of the Scottish Wildcats, through the UK Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, was beginning to help save Scottish Wildcats - the Scottish Wildcat population at the time of devolution was around 3,500 individual wildcats, however, today, just twenty years later with devolution, the Scottish Wildcat population is now thought to be as little as 35 individual Scottish Wildcats.
Scottish Wildcats, therefore, have almost been driven to extinction within that time. A petition was started two years ago for the Scottish government to save the Scottish Wildcat by protecting the Clashindarroch forest - over one million people have signed this petition, however, the Scottish government hasn’t protected the Clashindarroch forest since this petition was started, nor is there any protections in place for Scottish Wildcats within the Clashindarroch forest from the Scottish government.
The Scottish Wildcat is only going to survive if their forest home is left standing - we must preserve forests like the Clashindarroch forest to ensure that the Scottish Wildcat survives and doesn’t go extinct. If forests like the Clashindarroch forest continue to be destroyed for wind farms, or for any other reason, then we are going to lose the Scottish Wildcat and witness their extinction within our lifetime - the time to act to save them, is now.
If you want to help save the Scottish Wildcat, then please add your signature to the petition - Save the Scottish Wildcat by protecting the Clashindarroch forest.
If you want to see the new footage of the Scottish Wildcat then go - here.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-44100654
https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/local/video-rare-footage-of-wildcat-caught-on-camera-north-east/
http://scotcats.online.fr/swc/touchnot.html
https://www.change.org/p/scottish-government-save-the-scottish-wildcat-by-protecting-clashindarroch-forest
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/69