Wildcats thriving in Scottish Highlands conservation project

Wildcats released in the UK for the first time are thriving with only one death, say conservationists.

Nineteen were released into the wild in the summer at Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands.

The Saving Wildcats project is tracking the cats using GPS-radio collars.

The project is a collaboration between the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), NatureScot, Forestry and Land Scotland, and the Cairngorms National Park Authority.

Another 13 kittens have been bred for the scheme, which has partners in Sweden and Andalucia, Spain.

• Wildcat kittens bring hope for endangered species

• Scottish wildcat on brink of extinction - research

The new kittens, born at RZSS's Highland Wildlife Park, will be released into the wild next summer once they are aged six to eight months.

The endangered wildcats live in grassland and woodland where they hunt for mice and voles.

Winter is expected to be hard for them due to a lack of prey and the harsh weather.

The endangered wildcats are living in grassland and woodland

Helen Senn, RZSS head of science and conservation programmes, said the UK's first ever release of wildcats was "a success so far".

She said: "Life in the wild is full of risks and while most of the wildcats are currently doing well, it would be highly unusual for all to survive the first year.

"The field team were alerted to a potential mortality through movement data recorded by GPS collars.

"A post-mortem examination carried out by our expert veterinary team revealed the cat sadly died of peritonitis, an infection.

"Further releases and many more years of conservation action will be required to increase the likelihood of saving this iconic species in Scotland."

The Saving Wildcats team is working closely with landowners who now have wildcats on their land.

The wildcats and their den sites are protected by law and it is an offence to deliberately or recklessly disturb one.

Highland visitors who come across them are urged not to share the location.