Wildcats could rove the woods of Devon once more, study finds

The prospect of European wildcats prowling in southwest England has taken a leap forward after a two-year study concluded a reintroduction was feasible - and most local people were positive about the idea.

- Steven Morris

Felis silvestris has been absent from mid-Devon for more than a century, but the area has been judged to have the right kind of habitat to support a population of the wildcat.

The area has woodland important for providing cover and den sites, while its low intensity grasslands and scrubland create good hunting terrain for the animals.

According to the study, the wildcats would not be harmful to humans or to farm livestock and pets. It envisages the release of between 40 and 50 wildcats, though not before 2027.

Interbreeding between wildcats and feral/domestic cats is an issue for wildcat populations in Scotland, threatening the genetic security of the species.

For a reintroduction project to succeed, the study says there would have to be cooperation with local communities and cat welfare organisations to support a neutering programme for feral and domestic cats.