New documentary chronicles the revival of wildcats in the Cairngorms National Park
A new two-part documentary, Wildcats: Cait ann an Cunnart, is set to be broadcast on BBC ALBA on Wednesday 8 January, chronicling the progress of Saving Wildcats - a groundbreaking conservation partnership project aiming to prevent the extinction of wildcats in Scotland by breeding and releasing them into the wild.
The two-part series follows the journey of the team behind Saving Wildcats, guiding viewers through their efforts to release captive bred wildcats from a specialised breeding for release centre, located at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Highland Wildlife Park in the Cairngorms National Park. As well as being selected and encouraged to breed, everything possible is done to prepare the animals for life in the wild, before they are released in locations across the Cairngorms Connect Partnership Area.
Throughout the course of the docu-series, which covers the first year of releases in 2023, the wildcats face numerous challenges - from adjusting to the rugged terrain to dealing with the unpredictable forces of nature. However, the documentary also reveals the rewarding moments of success as they learn to survive and thrive on their own.
