With the "Hooper Cat" paper (preliminary paper title) set to be published in 2021 I began to look at what work had been carried out on UK wild cats/ferals. The "Hooper Cat" is, obviously, part of that work but it seems that everything went quiet after 2000.
Yes, I have no doubt that cat charities catcxhing, neutering and re-releasing (or trying to re-home) feral domestic cats can provide a great deal of preliminary data. however, what of the species looking for all the world like European wildcats (Felis silvestris) reported from around the UK? For cats in Scotland I would be very shocked to learn that no one was observing and study the Scottish wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris syn. Felis silvestris grampia).
However, England and Wales appears to be full of people only interested in 'big cats' -only one of the Big cat species is reported in the UK the others are Medium and Small Size.
I have to say that the same applies to wolverine (Gulo gulo). My 2000 report appears to have been the lat period in which interest was piqued. Of course, it has not helped that two very valuable local obervers/reporters have died in the intervening years.
One thing I did find a few years ago was the owner of a certain farm (taken over from his father) in Wales where there were sightings, etc., of established wolverines has denied there ever having been any such thing. I queried this locally and was called a "dafty" not for my beliuef in wolverine in Wales but for thinking that at a time when a farm(s) were being sold off locally the prospective owner would be happy to hear that they will also inherit wolverines on their property. "We don't want idiots with guns coming in here hunting them!" was the other response.
You see, I have the game cams and time but covid19 really ha no appreciation of a naturalists work!
If anyone reading this has any report or even photograph please get in touch and all communications are 100% guaranteed confidential.
Terry
blacktowercg@hotmail.com
or message me via face book
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