Nature

Have You Ever Seen a Rare Scottish Wildcat?

By  | 
Tony Maples Photography

 

A video (seen below) from the Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom is making the rounds on Facebook again. It shows an incredibly rare sighting of a Scottish wildcat kitten leaving its den for the first time as its mother cautiously stares down the camera. At first glance, it might look like a feral brown tabby and her kitten, but Scottish wildcats are much more fearsome and rare creatures.

According to the Save the Scottish Wildcat website, these animals pre-date domestic cats and are “incredibly tough super-predators capable of surviving Scotland’s harshest winters, battling eagles and drawing the admiration of men who bested entire empires.” They were even assumed to be man-killers until the 1950s. These ferocious hunters weight around 15 pounds and have thick coats of brown and black fur and beautiful long-haired tails. They can run up to 30 mph.

Sadly, there are less than 100 of these cats still alive in the wild, but The Chester Zoo has three of the animals – “mum Einich, dad Cromarty and the new kitten.” If you’re interested in following the conservation efforts of the Scottish Wildcat Haven, follow their Facebook for updates on these incredible creatures.