Meet the Scottish Wildcats at Northumberland Zoo

Our two wildcats are very special! Check out this episode and learn more about them.
Scottish Wildcats are a native species which are declining in Scotland. Ross & Cromarty are part of the breeding programme to help secure the future of these cats and whilst also educating our visitors about their species!
Thank you so much to everyone who has subscribed so far, the more subscribers we have, the more potential there is to raise funds for the zoo.
#zookeeper #zoo
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Learn more on our website:
www.NorthumberlandZoo.co.uk
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[@Runnifier]

Whenever I see these cats I imagine them saying in a drunken Scottish accent “I’ll fight anyone” Lmao

[@simonbates1975]

I love Scottish wildcats! - Chloe, 6

[@bobratcliffe1974]

Wow! Me and my son, Billy, have just watched this fantastic video and we LOVED it! Thank you very much, as we were one of the families which requested you post a film of these beautiful animals. We love all felines and have a special interest in these, our native species. This is why we have put in to sponsor one of your pair in Billy's name. We can't wait to see them for real when this current situation is all done. Stay safe and keep up the great work. Thanks again.

[@lbcmi5b632]

Great

[@ghostfire3342]

Wildcats taiger😻

[@austink243]

They are amazing

[@rashmianand4305]

Its so alluring to see these wild cats, good initiative

[@mandyhaynes1509]

Thank you for showing us these amazing endangered animals.

[@rayoflight6505]

Gorgeous cats 💕

[@lingmargaretcooper8574]

A blue chameleon! Wow

[@simonbates1975]

I love your cats! From Elodie, 6

[@notwocdivad]

Such a shame that Covid 19 (I am assuming) has caused such a rise in entry prices! We just cannot afford the money to come to see you again, we were there pre covid and loved it, but we understand completely, whatever happens the animals still must be fed and looked after. Best of luck in the future!

[@oadiedoadie]

Yeah

[@bootross255]

Definitely on my list after lock down, looks like a fantastic place. If it's any consolation, it was the covid19 epidemic that lead to me discovering the zoo so every cloud etc.....

[@smokeycat2011]

Excellent video!!!

[@normanmurray3659]

There should be no problem telling a wildcat from a domestic cat or a hybrid.

[@therespectedlex9794]

Is the man a local lad? Reminds me of someone.

[@timward8335]

Awesome well done. Are these two from Edinburgh zoo? Cant wait to meet them in the flesh. Love the videos keep em coming

[@charlottesedits8221]

Tim Ward no there not There different from an estate in Scotland

[@ericacton7767]

cool

[@ZooScott]

✅

[@barbaratimmons5510]

Great work you do. Thanks so much. While studying all the videos on You Tube I have been making sketches of these beautiful animals. Would it be possible to donate some of my Artwork that you could either sell the originals - or reprint - or have them made into calendars sometime in the future? Possibly as a good fundraiser. I realise that funding is one of the hardest parts of wildlife protection. Good luck.

[@BradGummery23]

Cant wait to see the animals after the corona virus

[@reevesusa]

Still working hard at time of pandemic. Good job

[@NorthumberlandZoo]

Thank you!!

[@gallaghim]

Interesting video. I'm researching these animals for a project i'm doing. Could i ask what kind of diet they eat in captivity? I see they're fed chicks there, but just wondering what else might be in their captive diet. Thank you.

[@NorthumberlandZoo]

We feed our wildcats whole rabbits, pheasant and sometimes rats. We feed them the bone and the fur as well as roughage to help with digestion. Thanks for watching!

[@gallaghim]

@@NorthumberlandZoo thank you!

[@stuartshaycarey]

I would love to know how many are in captivity ? 🙀

[@NorthumberlandZoo]

That's a great question! There are approximately 100 in zoos in the UK currently. There is a big captive breeding project being set up at Highland Wildlife Park for releasing them back into the Cairngorms.

[@stuartshaycarey]

@@NorthumberlandZoo That’s fantastic news. Thank you for your answer. 😸

[@normanmurray3659]

@@NorthumberlandZoo I'm afraid you only have 2 hybrids not pure wildcats, they are far too small for a start. I have given a description above of a wildcat I reared about 30 years ago above.

[@normanmurray3659]

I'm afraid you only have 2 hybrid cats, not pure Scottish Wildcats, the main difference being their size, a wildcat would be 35 to 40lbs in weight when matured that would be the size of a male wildcat, the female being slightly lighter 25 to 30lbs. An adult male will grow up to 4ft in length plus an 18 inch tail.

[@NorthumberlandZoo]

Hi Norman. Thanks for commenting! Our wildcats are part of the captive Scottish Wildcat studbook, provided to us via Highland Wildlife Park where all the animals in this book are tested genetically prior to being part of this programme. We are sorry you feel that way, however, they are the genuine article! Of course domestic cats also have the ability to hunt wildlife, but the European/Scottish Wildcat is better adapted to do so than our domesticated household friends. If you want to learn more, head over to Saving Wildcats 🙏🏻

[@normanmurray3659]

@@NorthumberlandZoo So you know there are no pure wildcats in captivity, what is your best percentage, what percentage are the two hybrids you have ? I don't need to learn more I used to write a column in our Local Paper on the Wildlife of Caithness. And also wrote several letters in the local paper on Wildcats in an editorial debate when I was 11 and got the column when i was 12 years old, the Editor was expecting an adult to turn up but I appeared with my father. Caithness used to be a haven for wildcats indeed the county was named Katness after the abundance of wildcats. I have stated before that wildcats preferred scrub and gorse which used to abound in Caithness and Sutherland. I reared a wildcat for 5 years until I released him back into the wild it took me 3 years to train him to hunt for himself. I have been down at the highland Wildlife Park several times to see their wildcats but was disappointed to see nothing but hybrids that were very small to be wildcats. Thanks for the offer but I have studied wildcats for nearly 50 years and watched as they declined, they were alerted to the wildcats plight in the 50's and 60's by gamekeepers but they were ignored. I'm afraid it is far too late to save the wildcat, I wish I was wrong but it doesn't look like it unless they find one or two pure wildcats.

[@O.bengee]

wrong​@@normanmurray3659

[@normanmurray3659]

Domestic cats can still kill with their tiny delicate mouths quite substantial prey such as rabbits and pheasants. Get that fool of the video with her nonsense.