Scottish Wildcat Action - Monitoring and Surveys - Data 2013-2020

The dataset comprises records of native wildcat, wildcat/domestic cat hybrids, and feral domestic cats within six designated Priority Areas (PAs) and more widely, collected using baited camera trap surveys, collection of road casualty cats, live-trapping of cats during 'trap neuter vaccinate and return' (TNVR, non-wildcats) or for genetic screening and collaring (wildcats), and through the collection of public sightings, road casualty specimens, standardised camera trap surveys and live-trapping. Across the project years (including data collected outwith standardised surveys) a total of 31 individual wildcats, 162 individual hybrids and 151 individual domestic cats, excluding known pets were detected. Overall, hybrid and domestic cats together outnumbered wildcats 10:1. Only two wildcats were detected outside PAs during camera surveys.
The data was collected by Scottish Wildcat Action (SWA) from 2015-2020, managed by NatureScot, and work was carried out by various partner organisations.