Hybrid wildcat sighting from Big Cats in Britain

Shaun Stevens at Big Cats in Britain kindly sent us this video he managed to grab on an extreme zoom of a hybrid wildcat in Scotland. The zoom makes it a little shaky but you can make out enough to see this cat bears many classic wildcat markings, sadly diluted by domestic ancestors in the family tree; pay attention to the tail which is quite slim and tapers to a point, notice also the tail bands are almost forming a dorsal stripe. Pure wildcats have very distinct bands, a tail about 2-3 times as thick and it always ends in a blunt tip like a baseball bat. Thanks Shaun; www.bigcatsinbritain.org

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• scottish wildcat
• hybrid
• feral
• scotland
• highlands
• sighting
• conservation
• endangered
• extinction
• extinct
• feline
• cat
• wild
• wildlife
• british
• scottish wildcat association

[scottishwildcatassoc]

Read the description! Scottish wildcats are only marginally larger than pet cats and the two species cross breed, cats like this are the result, they look like pet cats, bear some of the markings of wildcats and live in-between wild and feral populations of cats. Shaun is a big cat researcher, but no one thinks this is a big cat!

[tnt123123]

stop fucking shaking

[OZMAN2610]

This doesent look a pure wildcat, its tail is too thin

[smeagle9999]

he is so excited to film such an amazing creature he just can't help but shake uncontrolably

[spinspinsugarrr]

there are some duuuuumb comments on this video. First go and read about scottish wild cats on wikipedia. Then watch the video.

[BCIBTrailCamVideos]

Oh I forgot, The reason the cat stops to look around was because I made a loud clicking noise with my tongue to get its attention. I did this several times in order to get it to turn around so I could film its face.

[BCIBTrailCamVideos]

The interesting thing is not necesserily that its a hybrid, of which there are probably thousands in Scotland, but where it was taken. It was taken in the extreme south of the Kintyre peninsula, in Argyll, Scotland. A place where wildcats are not supposed to be living.

[BCIBTrailCamVideos]

Anyone who questions why the camera is shaking, I suggest they do an experiment themselves by taking some film holding a video camera and focus on an object at the extreme of the zoom facility. They will experience the same shaking effect. Why do you think that film camera men use tripods etc to get a clear shot. The cat was much bigger than a normal cat hence the reason I decided to film it. The Scottish Wildcat Association have identified it as a Scottish Wildcat Hybrid.

[BCIBTrailCamVideos]

I'd just like to put a few things straight on this video, seeing as I was the one to take it. The cat was originally spotted at the end of a long trail walking around the corner of a bush. By the time I got to that point it had moved about 100 yards further up the trail. I have a small sonycam and I had to put the zoom full on to get a decent enough close up of the cat.

[oldboi1]

wow a house cat shit i seen one of them once before lol

[bryanbish2000]

Wild cat markings ?! Totally looks like a grey tabby house cat !!!!

[5tonyvvvv]

@scottishwildcatassoc There are lots of Hybrids now, people get angry, but so what its where all cats come from, we have to keep the species alive, My alaskan malamute is almost Wolf like.