Bring the Wildcats back to Britain
The European Wildcat is the rarest mammal and the only native cat species surviving in Britain. Currently, the only wild population of these rare cats live in the remote Scottish Highlands, but that population has been declared “functionally extinct”. Our aim is to create the first British population of Wildcats outside of Scotland since the 1800’s. The species disappeared from England and Wales over a century ago because of persecution during a time when all predators, including Wildcats, were considered as vermin. A healthy population of Wildcats in the wild, will help to restore the balance in the ecosystem by controlling numbers of prey animals, such as rabbits and rodents, and predators such as foxes through competition for food. All funds raised will help us to build a new breeding facility for the reintroduction of these rare cats. We are aiming to build 10 additional breeding enclosures at a cost of £50,000. Each enclosure will house a breeding pair of cats, which will produce healthy kittens each year for release back into the wild. As the breeding season for the cats is between January and March, we need to start building this summer. The facilities will be built at both of our parks, in Kent and at Escot in Devon. This is one part of a long term project to restore these amazing cats to the wild. Wildwood, in partnership with Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and Vincent Wildlife Trust, along with the University of Exeter, are undertaking research into the best sites for their reintroduction. The team will ensure the needs and views of local communities are taken into full account during this project. This is a long term commitment and this breeding facility could support a 10 to 20 year project to create a viable and self-sustaining heathy population of cats in the wild. If you're unable to donate right now or if you would like to do even more to see the Wildcat returned to the wild, you could join the team and become a fundraiser to make an even bigger difference! There are lots of fun ways to raise funds, but if you need some inspiration, check out some great ideas here. Once you've decided what you'd like to do, start by creating your own fundraising page on JustGiving where all funds raised come directly to us. If you need any help or support with your fundraising activities, please don't hesitate to email us. If we exceed our target, any additional funds raised will go towards the Wildcats continued care and enrichment, and will also help to support ongoing research and development to ensure the Wildcats successful repopulation into the wild.
With your help, we can begin to establish a self-sustaining Wildcat population in areas they once would have thrived.
We must act now to save this species from total extinction in Britain.
Help us return this beautiful species back to the wild by donating today!
Contact details
| Key Contact | : | Sarah Anstee |
| : | appeals@wildwoodtrust.org | |
| Telephone | : | 01227711900 |
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Supporters
Keep up the good work. I will always support the preservation of NATIVE species
I have loved and adored the majestic and beautiful Wildcats for as long as I can remember! They are critically endangered and really do need all the help they can get from us. I am so glad that Wildwood is helping to save these wonderful cats.
I hope my small donation helps.
Fantastic project, wishing you every success. Thank you for all your hard work.
Good luck with the campaign.
Please bring the wild cats back to the wild!!!!
Keep up the excellent work. Hope this helps a little.
Well done Wildwood wish there were more like you out there!
Miaow!
I'd love to see these ancient and lovely animals back in our wonderful countryside.
This donation is towards raising money to help save the Wild Cat.
Would love to save these beautiful feline creatures and it would be amazing to see them back in the wild.
Really hope you succeed in your plans to get the breeding sanctuary up and running
Let's make the lynx next.
Rewilding is one of the most important challenges that the British Isles faces. It's good to see such vital projects going ahead!
Keep up the great work!
Love the work Wildwood & their crew do. So lucky to have you on our doorstep x
For Jenny Pearce
Wish I could afford more but every little bit is important. Love Wildwood and what it is aiming to achieve.
Very happy to support what may well be the only hope for the restoration of the Scottish Wildcat. Wishing you every success.
Wishing you success with this important project
Good luck with your fundraising and the breeding and reintroduction of wild cats. Wouldn't it be wonderful if one day they are no longer endangered. Thank you for all your hard work.
Wonderful work, I do wish you were closer to Woking, I would be there all the time... Best wishes
Meow!!! Save the wild cats!
This is FANTASTIC!!! So glad that Wildwood are getting involved. Keep up the great work you do!! This is such a beautiful animal Good Luck!!!
Anything to stop animals being driven to extinction by humans-a donation to assist re-wilding
We must bring back these beautiful wildcats to our Countryside. This donation on behalf of our cat ‘Fleur’ who bears all of the features of the European Wildcat and was born in France twelve years ago.
Good luck with the project, all species should be protected but high profile animals like the wildcat should raise the profile of all animals in decline.
Good luck with this work!
Keep up the good work!
Hope you succeed in this project. Would love to be able to catch a glimpse of a wildcat out walking in a wood one day.
Good luck!
Hope this and all of your other projects are successful. Keep up the good and essential work.
Would be fantastic to see these cats back in the wild where they belong.
I would like to support Wildwood to help bring back these beautiful cats to the wild within the UK.
Saw a wild cat kitten in Scotland once, would be amazing to have them widespread again.
Please help to save these beautiful creatures who belong to and are an important part of our natural habitat. Please not let us lose them forever.