Tag: Wild cat

Domestic cat

Domestic cat

Domestic cats are thought to have been first tamed back around 10,000 somwhere in the middle east. Unfortunately, as this is the cat that makes up the worldwide domestic cat population (almost exclusively) in many regions like Scotland, while reduction in numbers made specific subspecies of wildcat endangered, it has often been hybridisation that has pushed them over the edge.

There is little point in showing a map of the world, as they are found in almost every human population. It is thought that there are at least 200 million across the globe

Domestic cats are thought to have been tamed in Israel, which has unfortunately meant that this species of wild cat is now spread across the globe – many local species of wildcat have become extinct through hybridisation, the British wildcat is just one such example. There are now only pure British wildcats in captivity, and while there are still quite a few living wild in Scotland they have Asiatic wildcat features. This has happened in many places and solutions are not yet forthcoming.

While unfortunate, there is still work being done. In the UK there are plans to clear a peninsular of domestic cats, and re-establish a wildcat population. Only in situations like Scotland is hybridization likely, the most common reaction to a wildcat meeting a domestic cat is for the wildcat to kill the domestic cat. I hope to live to see the wildcat roaming Scotland once more, but we will se what happens.

They are not hard to see if you are in the right place. I have seen them in Africa, take a night drive in almost any nature reserve. Links will be added below.

Margay

A Margay from Costa Rica Taken by Supreet Sahoo

Margay

This is a relatively small wild cat that is found in central and Southern America, living in primary evergreen and deciduous forests. Until the 1990s they were illegally hunted for the wildlife trade, causing a significant decrease in the wild population. Sine 2008 they have been listed as near concern due to declining population, thought to be caused by habitat loss. It is classed as near threatened -one up from least concerned, but one down from Vulnerable.

There are currently 3 recognized subspecies, these are in turn found South of the Amazon, North of the Amazon and in Central America.

 

Lynx (bobcat)

Bobcats are found across most US states as well as parts of Mexico and Canada, it is likely the most numerous wild cat species in the world

Bobcat

Bobcat: This cat is found throughout most of the USA (every state except Delaware) and much of Mexico as well as 5 southern states of Canada. Their population is thought to number between 2.3 million and 3.5 million.

The Bobcat is the smallest of the Lynx family of species, but with 2.2 -3.5 million members spread across northern America, it is the most secure wild cat species.

Posted on
World maps: explore

100%
Zoom level changed to 1

This website aims to make it easy for those living with wildlife, and those who would like to see it, to find each other. Where-ever the wildlife, if the local people do not benefit it will not survive.  Please note, on some computers these maps can take 10 seconds to load.

Explore the worlds wilds, through the map above (each country contains a list of any wild areas within it – world maps for each fo these can be found at the top of the page -“wild places, “shadow of mankind”, “Hides”, “Future places” & “sightings board”), or the species in the expandable section below. Add your destinations, by clicking on “list your wild”. Scroll down to read our latest wild news.

[PFG id=24572]
[PFG id=36200]
[PFG id=36188]
[PFG id=36184]
[PFG id=36197]
Posted on

Wildcats could potentially reintroduced into England for the first time in hundreds of years

Wildcats have been restricted to parts of Scotland for hundreds of years, despite once being found throughout the UK. Indeed, it is a problem where a significant number of people now refer to it as the Scottish wildcat, something that is only temporary, and should not be the case for ever.

Although looking sweet, British wild cats are impressive hunters, and can on occasion take deer
Continue reading “Wildcats could potentially reintroduced into England for the first time in hundreds of years”

Species watch

Species watch

All species are important, often reintroductions have failed because a small unnoticed animal was missed. Over time, we will amass pages for as many species as possible. However, just as important is  seeing how species are closely related. As such as well as looking at species from a specific ecosystem or family, we will also include family trees of many of the families on earth. It should be noted, that this is to help you find wildlife you wish to see, so will never link to every species. In either way, these links to these will be placed at the top.

Mammal family tree
Wild cat family
Wild dog family
Primate family
African Savannah
Bear family tree
Antelope family tree
Bovini or cattle family tree
Equidae: Genus for horses (horses, donkeys and zebra)
Cervidae family (deer) here red deer
Camelid family (camels and Llamas)
Aardvark
Hyaenidae
Elephant family
Hippo family
Rhino family
Pinnipeds: Seals, Sealions, Fur Seals and walruses
Crocodiles, Alligators, Caimans, Gharials, False Gharials
Lizards
Snakes
Amphibians
Birds general
Emporer-penguins Genus Aptenodytes Not threatened 256,000 breeding pairs
Flightless birds
Predatory birds
sea, water birds and waders
Mid to small birds
Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises Species
Shark Species
Tiger
Jaguar
Northern lion (west African clade)
African Leopard
Clouded Leopard & Sunda Clouded Leopard
Snow Leopard
Cheetah - all subspecies
Lynx family (this is the Eurasian Lynx)
Wildcat
Cougar
Sumatran Orangutan
Chimpanzee
Boonobo
Gorilla
African hunting dog
wolf
arctic fox
polar bear
Panda
Bear species (the rest of the family)
Red panda
Hyrax family tree (yellow spotted hyrax)
Sus or pig family
bee eater familly
Vulture family tree
Hedgehog - European hedgehog and family
Hamster family (Turkish hamster )
Elephant shrew (western rock elephant shrew)
Beaver species
Common vole (possibly vole family in future)
Siberian ibex
Naked mole rat family
Mexican ground squirrel and the ground squirrel family
Large treeshrew photo credit Daderot CC0 1.0
Rat family (brown rat)
Pangolin family
Eagle family
Owl family
Original paper - OrthoMaM: A database of orthologous genomic markers for placental mammal phylogenetics. Ranwez V., Delsuc F., Ranwez S., Belkhir K., Tilak M. & Douzery E. J. P. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 2007, 7 : 241.
Posted on

Wildcats have returned to the Netherlands on their own after centuries of absence

Many of the environmental issues that the UK faces continue to be worse because we are an island off the coast of Europe. Unlike France, we have to make the conscience choice to reintroduce wolves, where as in France they have returned naturally.

Recent rewilding efforts in Germany and Belgium, saturated the local wildcat population leading to them spreading to Holland next door.

Wildcats disappeared from Holland in the middle ages. With flatter heads and longer legs than its domestic cousin, the wildcats reappearance is hugely encouraging for environmentalists.

The wildcat started to return in 2013. Pine marten have also returned since 2015.

Long may this move continue

Posted on

Wildcats set to return to southern England 150 years since their extinction in England and Wales

Once common across the whole of the UK, they were hunted to extinction. Currently, just a handful remain in Scotland. While interbreeding between wildcats and feral domestic cats is normally rare, in the current situation feral cats outnumber wildcats 1000 to one, and as such the wildcat is essentially extinct.

Could wildcats roam an English county once again – as early as next year?

The farmer who is looking to reintroduce them, currently has 6 pairs, which he is hoping to increase to 150 individuals and to start reintroducing perhaps as early as next year.

Continue reading “Wildcats set to return to southern England 150 years since their extinction in England and Wales”
See Animals Wild
en English
af Afrikaanssq Albanianam Amharicar Arabichy Armenianaz Azerbaijanieu Basquebe Belarusianbn Bengalibs Bosnianbg Bulgarianca Catalanceb Cebuanony Chichewazh-CN Chinese (Simplified)zh-TW Chinese (Traditional)co Corsicanhr Croatiancs Czechda Danishnl Dutchen Englisheo Esperantoet Estoniantl Filipinofi Finnishfr Frenchfy Frisiangl Galicianka Georgiande Germanel Greekgu Gujaratiht Haitian Creoleha Hausahaw Hawaiianiw Hebrewhi Hindihmn Hmonghu Hungarianis Icelandicig Igboid Indonesianga Irishit Italianja Japanesejw Javanesekn Kannadakk Kazakhkm Khmerko Koreanku Kurdish (Kurmanji)ky Kyrgyzlo Laola Latinlv Latvianlt Lithuanianlb Luxembourgishmk Macedonianmg Malagasyms Malayml Malayalammt Maltesemi Maorimr Marathimn Mongolianmy Myanmar (Burmese)ne Nepalino Norwegianps Pashtofa Persianpl Polishpt Portuguesepa Punjabiro Romanianru Russiansm Samoangd Scottish Gaelicsr Serbianst Sesothosn Shonasd Sindhisi Sinhalask Slovaksl Slovenianso Somalies Spanishsu Sundanesesw Swahilisv Swedishtg Tajikta Tamilte Teluguth Thaitr Turkishuk Ukrainianur Urduuz Uzbekvi Vietnamesecy Welshxh Xhosayi Yiddishyo Yorubazu Zulu

Read more news

Join as a wild member
to list your wild place & log in

Join as an ambassador supporter to
support this site, help save wildlife
and make friends & log in

Join as an Associate member
to assist as a writer, creator, lister etc & to log in

List a wild destination

List a destination in
the shadow of man

List a hide for animals more easily seen this way

Highlight some news
missed, or submit a
one-off article

Browse destinations for fun or future travel

Temporary membership
start here if in a hurry

Casual readers and watchers