Description
Book SynopsisAn exploration of the mysterious Scottish Wildcat--Britain''s rarest mammal, and one of the most endangered carnivores in the world.
These cats are fierce and very wild--completely untameable. Just like domestic cats prowling in the garden, wildcats hunt for a wide range of prey, from mice and voles to grouse, rabbits and red squirrels. Their kittens are born in March, and quickly begin to learn key hunting skills. Wildcats have endured centuries of habitat loss; they have been hunted for fur and been killed as vermin, and are threatened by inbreeding with domestic moggies, along with other issues such as disease and vehicle collisions.
In this book, Marianne Taylor--author of the award-winning Way of the Hare-- seeks out the beautiful and enigmatic Scottish Wildcat in a rich narrative interwoven with what we know about the cat''s biology and history in Britain.
The Highland Tiger is a great read for anyone with an interest in Britai
Trade Review
There is some intriguing material about the folklore around the Scottish wildcat... The material on the difference between cats and dogs [...] is fascinating. -- Stuart Kelly * Scotland on Sunday *
In part, Taylor's book charts a journey across Scotland tracking "the Highland tiger" and in part it's a reflection on the wildcat's cultural significance and what needs to be done to save it. -- Patrick Galbraith * The Times *
Table of Contents
Prologue - gatita fiera 1. A Cat in Context - evolution, relationship 2. Wild Tales - myth and legend Trip 1: Speyside, 2013 3. Born to Kill - biology of cats and wildcats Trip 2: Ardnamurchan, 2013 4. Life Unseen - how wildcats live Trip 3: Speyside, 2014 5. A Bloody History - humans and wildcats in conflict Trip 4: Speyside and Beyond, 2015 6. Of Cats Tame and Wild - wildcats and domestic cats Trip 5: Ardanmurchan, 2016 7. Salvage Operation - conservation efforts to date Trip 6: Speyside, 2018 8. An Uncertain Future - population, projects Acknowledgements Further Information Index
