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Wildlife
- Close
- - We protect wildlife in Britain and around the world by bringing our most threatened species back from the brink of extinction. We do this through ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
Wild places
- Close
- - Some habitats contain such a richness of life that we need to protect them at all odds. We are working to preserve ancient woodlands, orchards and wood pastures and parklands, as well as the countless species they support.
What we do
- Close
- - Everything we do is based on scientific evidence. We gather this through surveys, which you can take part in, and by awarding research grants to the most inspiring scientists worldwide. This evidence guides our conservation efforts and is shared through our events and publications.
Who we are
- Close
- - People’s Trust for Endangered Species was set up in 1977 to save our wildlife. We are governed by a board of volunteer trustees and our team of staff are passionate about protecting endangered species and places.
Success stories
- Close
- - We strive to bring our most threatened species in the UK and around the world back from the brink of extinction. Our successes come from ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
Get involved
- Close
- - There are so many ways you can help save endangered species. Fancy taking part in a survey, joining us on a wildlife event or becoming a regular supporter?
Shop
- Close
- - Support our work in our shop with a range of charity gifts, home-ware, cards and more. 100% of the profits go directly to help wildlife both in the UK an overseas.
Donate
- Close
- - There is nothing natural about the alarming rate at which we are losing animals and their homes. It is absolutely avoidable. We can stop the loss of our wildlife – but we need your support. You can act now by choosing to give to our cause. Thank you.

Home // Research grants // Our UK mammal projects // How pure are our remaining Scottish wildcats?

How pure are our remaining Scottish wildcats?

This project has now finished

Wildcats were once found throughout the UK. The last remaining populations in the Scottish Highlands are now critically endangered and at serious risk of extinction.

The problem with hybridisation

The most serious threat to wildcats in the UK is interbreeding (or hybridization) with domestic and feral cats. There may only be as few as 400 true, genetically distinct wildcats left in Scotland. Interbreeding further reduces their numbers as the genes become mixed with other cat species. But exactly how hybridisation affects wildcats isn’t completely clear. We need a much a better understanding of the extent and impact of interbreeding to stand a chance of saving them.

Bolstering the natural population

The solution lies in unraveling the entire genetic code of wildcats, feral and domestic cats to understand the detailed differences and chart the history and extent of the interbreeding. Once we’ve done that, we’ll be able to tell how many true wildcats are left in the wild and whether they can be used to bolster the natural population through a captive breeding programme led by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland.

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