General Chat

Along with beavers, osprey and wild boar welcome back the wild cat.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-devon-50522462/wildcats-to-return-to-england-after-long-absence

Devon is a lovely area to live in.

Devon cream tea would encourage all sorts to reside here - human or otherwise - much nicer than the alternative version available on the other side of the Tamar.

The wild animals, with some care, should prosper.

I thought there was already concern in Scotland about keeping them true Wildcats as they will crossbreed with domestic moggies if either encroach on each other's territory? They would have to try and keep them to remote areas.

Domestic cats cause enough mayhem without adding more!!

Tom & Gerry.

According to Oliver Rackham who is 'the man' when it comes to the history of the countryside, wildcats were native to northern England, Wales and Scotland so it does seem a little strange to introduce them down west.

Apparently, feral cats, known as 'murilegus' (mouse takers) were huntable beasts which would seem a bit counter-productive to me.

Wild boar, wild cats, wolves, elks, beaver, bears were all native to Britain during the bronze age inc the south. The elks were eaten to extinction along with a (large) ancestor of the modern cow. Bears were the first to go but they seem to be able to rub along with modern people in parts of Europe and the USA.

I don't think there is any intention to release the wild cats in Devon. The target is the wilds of the Keilder Forest where they could help out the pine marten with the grey squirrel problem.

Could you cite your source please?

do your own leg work for once

I'm sorry,could you explain that remark please?

Seems a fair enough request, people often cite their source to save others the leg work.

I believe Arctic Foxes, the European Ice Age leopard and the Wooly Mammoth were once native to Britain.
I've no idea what cause their extinction! ;-)

According to 'sources' - the Barbary Macaque was the 'first to go' - it became extinct in 30,000BC (ish) - about the same time the Scimitar-toothed cat became extinct worldwide.
The Cave bear became extinct across the world in about BC 15,000, and the Eurasian brown bear in Britain about A.D. 1000

One of the oldest breeds of Cattle is the Saler - from central France. Cave paintings suggest in may have existed for 17,000 years. They appear to be closely related to the old Celtic and African breeds, so what's to say it wasn't in Britain at that time too?
They are, however, now in Britain, thanks to a farmer in Cumbria.

I cited mine, although, I have not yet consulted Hoskins (it's upstairs).

Hmm - most 'academics' cite their sources.

As for the wild cats not being released in Devon - the man attempting to breed them (Derek Gow), on his farm in DEVON has said: "The best habitats are in southern England. At the end of the day, wildcats are meant to be here."

https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/england-wildcats-rewilding-devon-derek-gow-extinct-a8929311.html

One of my teachers in junior school was a Miss Fox. She survived to a great old age.

...but not from BC 30,000 to 2019, surely, Dermot!

Wild cats were exterminated in the South, in the early centuries (12th and 13th) because rabbits were an import, by the Normans, kept in warrens, and for the well off only!
One of my ancestors was in charge of a warren in Cornwall.