In 1896 Scottish naturalists and zoologists declared that the true Scottish wild cat had become extinct by the 1860s. What we see today is nothing more than a wild tabby cat. In this work the true history and destruction of wild cats from England, Wales (where hybrids clung on into the 1940s) and Scotland is explored and after decades of research the true look of the wild cat is revealed. The "English Tiger" and "Highland Tiger" truly lived up to that name.
Dogma is finally thrown out.
There is also a look at the "New Native Cats" ranging from Asian Golden Cats, Lynx, Puma and others and the evidence leading to their being so designated.
No silly press or media stories just solid facts backed up by evidence.
The author acted as an exotic species wildlife consultant to UK police forces from 1977-2015 as well as cooperated with university projects on the subject.
Island cats as well as feral cats their lifestyles and problems mare also covered .
Fully referenced and including maps, illustrations and very rare photographs -some never before seen in print- make this a book for amateur naturalists and zoologists.
When the Doggerland bridge flooded the British Isles became separated from
Continental Europe and its wildlife developed uniquely. The British Isles, for the purpose of this work includes Ireland, and isolated the wolves on both became what would be island species not affected by the usual island dwarfism. These wolves, after millennia. Became “unwanted” and forests and woodland was burnt down or cut down for the specific purpose of lupicide; the killing of every and any wolf –and there was a bounty for “a job well done”.
At the same time there also developed three unique island species of Old fox from the coyote-like Mountain or Greyhound fox, the slightly smaller but robustly built Mastiff or Bulldog fox and the smaller Common or Cur fox –the latter like today’s red foxes had a symbiotic relationship with humans.
These canids were mainly ignored until it was decided that they could provide fur and meat and those things earn money. From that point onward, especially after all other game had been killed off, the fox faced what writers over the centuries referred to as vulpicide –extermination through bounties paid, trapping or hunting and despite all the hunters noting that the Old foxes were nearing extinction they continued to hunt until by the late 1880s the Old were gone and replaced by the New –foxes imported by the thousands every year for the ‘sport’ of fox hunting and this importation also led the the UK seeing the appearance of mange (unknown before the importations).
The travelling British sportsmen went coyote, wolf and jackal hunting and on returning to England wanted to bring a taste of this to “the good old country”. Wolves, jackals and coyotes were set up in hunting territories from where they could learn the lay of the land and provide good sport later. Some hunts even attempted to cross-breed foxes, jackals and Coyotes.
Then there were the legendary –almost mythical– “beasts”; the black beast of Edale, the killer canids of Cavan and the “girt dog” of Ennerdale.
In more recent times raccoon dogs and arctic foxes have appeared in the UK; some released for ‘sport’ while others are exotic escapees long since established in the countryside.
If you thought you knew what fox hunting was about prepare to be woken up by a sharp slap to the face and the reality that, by admissions of hunts themselves, this was all about fun and sport and nothing to do with “pest control”.
The current update on fox and badger deaths in and around the City and County is:
135 foxes and 52 badgers.
I have not started a deer deaths register or one for any other mammal/birds other than otters.
People still seem to not be willing to report dead badgers or foxes and I assume the stress of typing a message is far too much for some people.
We have had three fox cubs trapped in netting in gardens in the last week and, luckily, Sarah Mills (The Bristol Fox Lady) got to them fast and all three were taken to Vale Wildlife Hospital in Gloucestershire and are doing fine.
The danger to wildlife of paddling pools left overnight without being emptied needs to also be highlighted as we have lost some fox cubs in these. Left6 full of water overnight is a danger to wildlife as well as children and some adults.
There was been no sign of the pair of hedgehogs that visited nightly for over a week now which is concerning. Neighbours are far from interested in stating whether they have seen any hogs.
Birds continue to visit and insect life seems to be doing well and not just in my garden.
Slow worms are also being reported more these days from a round Bristol so they seem to be doing well. Again, I need to point out that slow worms are non-venomous legless lizards and seeing them in your garden is an indicator that the garden is healthy.
I am still looking into the use of electrical wiring and "deterrents" to keep otters away from fish ponds. It is far more advisable to look at ways to cover your fish ponds as use of electrical devises could involve a fine if caught.
The other "perennial problem" for people with fish ponds are herons. This was first reported in Ashton Vale back in the 1990s when people with large gardens decided that ponds would look nice. Unfortunately, if you put heron and otter food (fish) into ponds then you need to protect the fish.
There are some very belligerent pond owners who "think out loud" in posts about what they can do to "dispose" of herons. These people need to understand that herons are protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. And it is illegal to intentionally kill, injure, or take them. This includes destroying their nests while they are in use or being built, or taking or destroying their eggs.
Penalties for violating this law can include fines or even imprisonment.
We have built on wildlife territory and then place food out for them (even if unintentionally) and then see then as "pests" or, as several people have described them, "vermin". Firstly, they are not "pests" -you create the pond and put the fish in to show off then you need to study how to protect them. The term £vermin" has never been used by any faction other than pro hunt groups because "game of the chace" (yes, spelt "chace") was too long winded for them.
Someone asked about the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust. This is in fact, as the use of the word "game" in its title indicates, a pro hunt group so I have NOTHING to do with them or their schemes which at one point involved radio collaring a fox to see where it went before killing it "just because) (it was out in woodland and had been living off rats, etc so was causing no problems but if you are a psycho with a gun who likes killing wildlife....
Interesting that I
started seeding wildflowers and have been monitoring w3ildlife in Ashton Vale
since I set up the Vale Wildlife Group in 1995 and over those years I had to
put up with people very anti wildlife or "rewilding" as it is now
known.
Now I get sent this item via Face Book messenger:
""Upcoming Meetings Saturday, 31 May (2-4pm).
Ashton Vale Together are looking at improvements, including in biodiverity, for
their neighbourhood. The BS3 Wildlife Group has been invited to set up a table
and chat to locals.Come along if you want to know more. The meeting is at the
Ashton Vale Community Centre on Risdale
Road."
My response was:
" Really? How difficult was it for people in Ashton
Vale to looks up Vale Wildlife Group since its been going since 1995 and
monitoring wildlife in the area since then?"
Where were all of these people when grass snakes or adders
needed moving on from gardens? Or when wildlife was handed in with a range of
injuries? When requests were put out for help to survey local wildlife for 6
years or help in any way?
I could also add that when requests were put out on BS3
groups in an attempt to track down injured foxes or foxes that needed urgent
treatment there was resounding silence from BS3 Wildlife.
All I have had from some members of the BS3 group is that I
ought to hand over all my data and let them take over.
Seriously, I give up on asking for cooperation (it is why I changed the group name so that it can advise people throughout the City and County) but to send
me the post quote is pushing things. I will continue to do in Ashton Vale what
I have been doing for the past 30 years.
Milk can also make foxes ill -again lactose intolerance.
I would add that "experts think", as quoted by so many with no real knowledge of wildlife, can be defined as "X = The Unknown and "Spurt" is a drip under pressure".
No one has really studied hogs in the wild and to explain how little they know about hedgehogs each year children's TV (especially Blue Peter), newspaper and magazine items and the RSPCA advised people to put out bread and milk for hedghehogs "love it".
No joking. In Care For The Wild (1982) written by John Hughes who served as a warden for the RSPCA Wildlife Field Unit and W. J. Jordan "with his long experience as a veterinary surgeon, formerly as Chief Wildlife Officer of the RSPCA" must have been responsible for a LOT of hog deaths through ignorance:. On page 93 and looking at nourishment for hedgehogs particularly when they wake up from hibernation they write:
"Tinned dog or cat meat and a dish of water will be quite acceptable and quite sufficient, although a dish of bread and milk will be appreciated."
As any wildlife rescue or naturalist will tell you:
Bread:
Bread is low in energy and provides little nutritional value for hedgehogs. It's not a natural part of their diet, and they don't absorb much nutrition from it.
Milk:Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant, meaning they cannot digest the lactose in milk. This can lead to diarrhea and other digestive problems.
It's been one step forward and two steps back for badger conservation. Despite warnings from MPs, Badger Trust and other conservationists, a controversial change to the Protection of Badgers Act has been approved, introducing vague rules that could allow developers to kill badgers. Opposition MPs pushed back, but the vote passed 9–6.
This is a knock for the protection of badgers but we're not giving up!
Read the full story and get involved to help us protect badgers at this crucial time https://buff.ly/haHR3O2
Here we go with a dogma article (I'm sure Ms La researched it best way possible...online sources). You will note that no mention of the (old) number of badgers killed in culls -250,000 (we know it is more like 300,000) which has, along with cars, 'fun shooters', illegal killing by farmers and sett destruction, pushed badgers to where they now face extinction by the 2030s -they are already extinct in certain areas.
Oh, and we have lost around 60% of our fox population and the decline is continuing. But, "Ugh!" badgers and foxes -right? Earth.Org article:
7 of the Most Endangered Species in the UK in 2023
A recent study by London’s Natural History Museum found that Britain has lost nearly half of its biodiversity since the Industrial Revolution, a number far below the global average of 75%. Rampant human activities and land development have caused widespread habitat loss and degradation in the country, with experts warning that this continued rate of biodiversity loss will lead to an irreversible ecological meltdown and crisis, threatening the future of global food security. To date, at least a quarter of native mammals in Britain are at risk of extinction and more species will likely follow as humanity continues to degrade the environment and as the planet warms. These are just some of the most notable endangered species in the UK that are in dire need of protection.
Endangered Species in the UK
1. Hedgehog
Despite its coat of prickly, sharp spines, the hedgehog has become widely popular; domesticated hedgehogs are now highly sought after as a household pet. In rural Britain however, the native species has been in sharp decline over the past 70 years. In 1950, estimates suggested there were about 36 million individuals in the wild, but that number plummeted to a mere one million in 2013. The largest declines are recorded in the eastern half of the country.
Climate change-induced temperature rises and overall warmer winters have impacted their hibernation patterns, resulting in the mammal struggling to forage for food. Urban and road development have limited their natural habitats, particularly across farmlands. Ongoing conservation efforts include increasing the legal protection of hedgehogs in the Wildlife and Countryside Act and encouraging more wildlife-friendly gardens in urban landscapes.
2. Red Squirrel
Once widespread and commonly found across the UK, the iconic red squirrel – with its signature russet brown fur and bushy tail – has since become a rare sighting as a result of invasive species and habitat fragmentation. The introduction of grey squirrels from North America in the early 20th century has devastated the population of the species. Grey squirrels are larger in size than its red counterparts, making them stronger competitors for foods like nuts and seeds. They’re also highly destructive; grey squirrels damage and strip tree barks, leaving trees vulnerable to disease and less habitat for red squirrels. The invasive species is also a carrier of the parapoxvirus, which is deadly to the red squirrel. Today, red squirrels are only found in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the far north of England with an estimated 140,000 individuals compared to several million grey squirrels across the UK.
Response: This is dogma and utter bilge. British Red squirrels were hunted to near extinction and then more imported from Europe to continue the 'shooting fun"! This is well documented IF you actually do any real research work and do not quote dogma. Red squirrels are still being killed on private estates as "vermin" and in forestry where they might devalue to trees that will be cut down for money. British Red squirrels as such became extinct in the 1860s and hunting records show how the imporeted Red were later killed in their hundreds -where do you think all the museum red squirrels come from?
3. Water Vole
This semi-aquatic rodent spends most of its day in rivers and streams, but digs burrows along riverbanks to rest at night, which helps maintain river ecosystems, as well as allow other animals and plants to thrive. Once found in almost every waterway in Scotland, England and Wales, water voles have seen a 94% drop in population within the past three decades and lost about 90% of its historic range, driving the species to the brink of extinction. The drastic population decline is attributed to the arrival and predation of the non-native American mink – for fur farming – and water pollution from industries. Though the mammal has three to four litters each year, it is not enough to keep pace with all the various threats to the species. However, UK conservation officials are taking measures to restore riverbanks, clean up waterways, and implement reintroduction programmes.
Response: dogma again. Farming and other human activity started decreasing the population long before mink. Mink, like the Grey squirrel, badger and fox are noted for being "scapegoat species" -these are animals blamed for loss of wildlife species rather than humans accepting what THEY have done.
4. Beaver
It’s not all doom and gloom. Among this list of endangered species in the UK, the beaver has been on the road to recovery and slowly bouncing back from its status of being near extinction. Beavers are an important species as the dams they build for their homes double as a tool for filtering and cleaning water, thereby creating a healthy environment for richer biodiversity. But they were heavily hunted about 400 years ago for their prized pelt (and meat) in the fur trade. Coupled with water pollution, the semi aquatic mammal was all but extinct. Thanks to decades of conservation work and rewilding and reintroduction programmes in Devon and Scotland, beaver population numbers have been on the rise.
Response: yes, correct. Hunting and killing for money as well as 'sport' and by land owners was responsible for beaver decline and they are STILL threatened. Who polluted rivers? Oh, humans (I am sure someone will make a case for it being badgers).
5. Scottish Wildcat
With only about 115-315 individuals remaining in the wild, the Scottish Wildcat is one of the most critically endangered species in the UK. Twice the size of a domestic cat and much more ferocious, this feline species are mostly found today treading across the woodlands and pastures of the Scottish Highlands, hunting for small mammals, birds, invertebrates and even reptiles.
Habitat loss from deforestation and animal trade have near decimated the Scottish wildcat population, but hybridisation has exacerbated the decline. When wildcats crossbreed with domestic (feral) cats, it dilutes the wildcat gene until it is completely wiped out. Some experts estimate that there are about 3,000 wild feral cats to every one purebred wildcat. To combat this, conservation organisations are working to neuter feral cats in the Scottish Highlands to help prevent crossbreeding.
Response: Here we go again. Quote from the quick answer internet. Wild cats were wiped out across the UK including Scotland officially by the 1860s.Humans hunted them, wiped them out then imported more from Europe to fill their shooting/'sport' land. Even in the 18th century it was declared that had feral domestic cats not been interbreeding with Old wild cats the species would have died out "Hundreds of years back" (1798). Even the European wild cat on the Continent are likely 90% hybrids -I have written in my books and blog posts about this and it is all backed up by sources not some internet site.
6. Hazel Dormouse
This nocturnal golden-furred mammal is endemic to the UK but is now only found in Southern England, South Wales and along the English/Welsh border. The hazel dormouse is also an arboreal species, meaning they live primarily in trees, and feed mostly on fruits, nuts, tree flowers and insects. Due to deforestation and changing practices in woodland management, particularly in ancient woodland and hedgerows, the small rodent has lost significant habitats, becoming more isolated and vulnerable. Major habitat loss and fragmentations have resulted in a 75% population decrease over the last 25 years. Dormice are strictly protected by law and there are ongoing efforts to reintroduce to species in places they have been previously extinct. Though areas of suitable woodland habitat are scarce and long periods of supplementary feeding are required, organisations such as the People’s Trust for Endangered Species have successfully returned the hazel dormouse to 12 counties.
Response: I have posted before that the UK, and particularly England, was once covered by huge forests and woodland areas which were destroyed by humans for profit and also 'sport' -driving wild animals out of cover to hunt.
7. Grey Long-Eared Bat
As the name suggests, this particular bat species features ears nearly as long as its body and is incredibly rare in the UK – the country marks the northern edge of its range. It resides and hunts over grasslands, woodland edges for prey including moths, flies and small beetles at night. But urban development and land conservation for agricultural purposes have caused the grey long-eared bat to lose roosts – where bats rest – while traffic and artificial night lighting have increased the risk of vehicle collisions and impact hunting activities. Today, there are very few confirmed sightings of the species, including areas close to the coast in lowland areas of southern England and the Isle of Wight. They are also considered extinct in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales.
Response: She wrote it -"Humans did it"!
I need to add that there are birds at risk of becoming extinct such as the Turtle Dove (which the corrupt EU has now stated can be shot again) -you can read more about birds "of concern" here
"approximately one-third of amphibian and reptile species are facing extinction risks, with 4 out of 13 species considered "Threatened". The most critically endangered is the northern pool frog, while the natterjack toad, sand lizard, and smooth snake are also at high risk. Many other species, like the common toad and adder, are also experiencing population declines and are classified as "Near Threatened" or "Vulnerable". "
"Many insect species in the UK are facing extinction due to habitat loss, pollution, and other environmental changes. Over 80% of UK butterfly species have declined since the 1970s, and half are now threatened or near-threatened. Additionally, a significant number of bee and hoverfly species have become less widespread since 1980. "
There is more; much much more and while people sit back with their "someone ought to deal with this -I'm a bit busy" the corrupt politicians only see wildlife as photo opps or for publicity as they also sit back, take the bribes and corrupt deals and watch Green sites and woodland bulldozed by developers who want the land because "it looks pretty here -nice place for houses!"
Once the bulldozers move in it is too late. As it stands the 2030s will see UK mass extinctions similar to that of the 1860s and in both cases humans are the cause.
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