Supporting Scottish Wildcats -Meet Cranachan
Dear Diary,
I have to make a confession.
Jamie is not gonna like this.
There is another cat in my life …
His name is Cranachan.
(What a bummer name btw! I love a Scottish cranachan for pud.)
Time to meet Cranachan. Doesn’t he look handsome?
He and Jamie clearly share some traits, I’d say.
The obvious first: both are tabby cats. Seems to be my type.
Both know how to look fierce, bold and determined.
Both are chatty and curious.
And both are truly lovable.
Though, no one can beat Jamie’s eyes! Sorry.
However, Cranachan is not your normal domestic cat. He is a Scottish wildcat.
By the way, Jamie, you can blame my mum. She gifted me a sponsorship for my birthday.
The Tiger of the Highlands
Wildcats are in fact the most threatened mammal and are sadly on the brink of extinction.
They have a long history in Scottish culture and mythology. And have also been used in clan heraldry since the 13th century.
Sadly, it was common practice to shoot or trap them and showcase them as decorative trophies.
It took until 1988 to give it legal protection.
However, this could not prevent another threat from coming up soon after.
Wildcats can bread with domestic cats, which dilutes their genes.
So without any immediate action, we might lose them forever.
To counteract this, the European Saving Wildcats programme was founded in 2015.
The aim is to breed and release wildcats back into their natural habitat. And Cranachan is one of them.
Saving Scottish Wildcats at the Cairngorm National Park
His home is a quiet and peaceful space. Hidden away in the Cairngorm National Park in Britain’s first wildcat conservation centre.
There, he and his mates learn all skills they need to live in the wild. Not to forget his important daddy duties of course.
The first breeding season has already been a great success, with 22 kittens born!
In case you’re looking for cute kitten content - here’s their official Instagram account.
And the story doesn’t end here.
In June, the first wildcats have been released and are now eagerly taking their first steps into the wilds. How exciting!
With more releases to come until the end of this summer.
All cats will be tracked and monitored to observe their movement and to make sure they’re doing fine on their own.
How you can help
As you might know, I’m truly passionate about cats.
They are fascinating creatures and we should do all we can to protect this iconic species and reintroduce them into our landscape.
So, I am really proud to support our highland tigers! And you can too if you want. #SWAforLife