Port Lympne’s Scottish Wildcats have been given a chance to see the park from a different point of view with the construction of special raised walkways.
Better View for Visitors
The raised walkways, enclosed in a mesh tunnel, extend from the cats’ enclosures and travel around an area of the park before returning to the enclosure once more. The innovative system allows the cats to wander around a much larger territory. As well as allowing the cats to explore much more of the park, the walkways also afford visitors a better view of the often shy and elusive animals as they travel around the walkways and sit out in new vantage points. The walkways were funded by contributions from a campaign run by Your Cat Magazine, run through The Scottish Wildcat Association.
Wildcat in Walkway - photographs by Neville Buck
One of World’s Most Endangered Cats
Head Small Cat Keeper, Neville Buck, who is holder of the Studbook for this species, commented:
‘People don’t often realise we have one of the world’s most endangered cats right here in the UK. Our new walkways allow the cats greater freedom to explore, as well as being a good way to significantly increase the area available to them. They can travel a large distance at a variety of heights, through trees and in areas they wouldn’t normally be able to go. The cats absolutely love them and we are delighted they have been so successful!’
Wildcat in Walkway - photographs by Neville Buck
The largest of the wildcat family, Scottish Wildcats weigh in between 5-9kg – around 50% larger than your average domestic cat. Scottish Wildcats live primarily in woodland but since the rapid deforestation of Scotland at the beginning of the 1900’s, they have adapted to live in mixed habitats including farmland.
Steve Piper, Chairman of the Scottish Wildcat Association, commented:
“We’re overjoyed to have been able to put Your Cat together with the Aspinall’s team to create these fantastic walkways for their wildcats, as anyone who likes cats knows, they love having a high viewpoint and, poised on the very edge of the North Downs looking out on miles of Kent’s beautiful Romney Marshes and the distant English Channel, this really is quite a view. I grew up in Kent visiting the Aspinall’s parks regularly with my parents and they’ve always been at the absolute forefront of caring for endangered species, we’re very fortunate to have their expertise helping lead the Scottish Wildcat captive breeding program and we look forward to finding more opportunities like this one to help them continue to expand, improve and lead captive breeding efforts.”
Release Programme for Cats
The Aspinall Foundation’s Port Lympne Wild Animal Park hopes to be at the forefront in breeding the Scottish Wildcat. The park has now got eight cats and in the future hopes to coordinate a release program. These elegant animals are almost impossible to see in the wild, so the new walkways offer a perfect opportunity to observe them. For further information about visiting the Scottish Wildcats at Port Lympne, or to adopt a cat, please visit www.aspinallfoundation.org
