Thursday, March 31, 2016

Scottish wildcat

The Scottish wildcat (Felis Silvestris Grampia), is a distinct subspecies of the European wildcat native to Scotland and historically England and Wales. It is classified to be an endangered species and since the 1950's, they were thought to be man killers. It is one of the 6 most endangered cats of the world along with the Amur leopard, Iberian lynx, Asiatic cheetah, Iriomote cat, and South China tiger. They do purr but don't meow and resemble that of domestic cats including tabbies and Bengals. It mainly preys on rabbits, rats, birds, hares, beavers, fish, and other prey. It is nicknamed "The wild spirit of the Scottish highlands". The most apparent of the Scottish wildcat is the beautiful tail. Like most other cats, the Scottish wildcat is solitary and crepuscular. It was thought to fight off lynxes and wolves that used to live in Britain and also foxes. Fewer than 100 Scottish wildcats remain in the wild! The wildcats of Scotland, Mediterranean, and Caucasus are considered to be separate species from the European wildcat. Wildcats are aggressive animals like badgers and wolverines. If a wildcat and a badger were in a fight, the wildcat would be a perfect match.

No comments:

Post a Comment