Spatial and Social Dimensions of European Wildcat Felis silvestris Conservation

Project Description: Scottish wildcats are amongst the highest conservation priorities in UK and Europe. They are the subject of Scottish Wildcat Action, a major multi-agency conservation programme being undertaken in the species' refugia in the Highlands of Scotland. As the species is fully protected as a European Protected Species, the main and ongoing problem they now face is hybridisation with domestic and free-living, owned and unowned cats. This project will work towards understanding and mitigating this conservation challenge and will work alongside major wildcat conservation programmes providing research insight, input and support to this vital conservation work.
Project Aims and Methods: The student will work on the ecology, biology, health and management of wildcats, feral and domestic cats living in sympatry in the Scottish wildcat priority recovery areas and beyond. Using tracking and proximity logging technologies they will understand the movements and interactions of all cats. By using stable isotope technologies they will understand variation in foraging of sympatric wildcats, feral and domestic cats and how this relates to variation in ranging behaviour. They will understand factors affecting the health, welfare and behaviour of cats in the project area. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach using techniques from the social sciences, they will work with cat owners to understand how owners manage, feed and care for their cats. Overall, they will develop an understanding of how and where hybridisation might take place and how this and other interactions between owned and unowned cats can be managed to improve the conservation of the Scottish wildcat.