Published on rzss.org.uk the 15.06.2023.
The “Highland Tiger” is critically endangered. Together with its project partners, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has now been able to release 22 of these special wildcats.
Note: The RZSS runs both Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park. The animals were bred behind the scenes at the park, where they were also prepared for their release. The Highland tiger is not a separate species but rather a population of the European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris). The species is listed as endangered in the UK, where Scottish wildcats were once widely spread. The population has been living in isolation from other European wildcats for several thousand years. However, it is still not considered a subspecies.
